Your Safeword is Magpie
by Volkihar
Summary: Tony Stark has never been one for playing by the rules. Neither is he known for making rational decisions. After the final break-up with Pepper, he's really hit rock bottom. A total misunderstanding lands him on SHIELD's radar with only Loki as an ally. Naturally, he's in over his head. Full summary inside!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing aside from some OCs, and I am not making any kind of profit from writing this.

**Pairing:** FrostIron (Loki/Tony Stark)

**Summary:** Tony Stark has never been one for playing by the rules. Neither is he known for making rational decisions. After the final break-up with Pepper, he's really hit rock bottom. A total misunderstanding lands him on SHIELD's radar with only Loki as an ally. Naturally, he's in over his head.

Maybe it's not such a bad thing this time. Loki is everything Pepper wasn't, and it's exhilarating.

Well, at least until Loki's past comes back to haunt him in the form of a certain Asgardian enchantress with a penchant for wildly inappropriate love spells. Tony and Loki find themselves magically bound to one another, and it's a hell of a lot harder to cope with than they'd ever imagined.

Hopefully they can keep their hands off each other long enough to save the day.

**Warnings:** Violence, Sexual content: m/m slash, bondage and BDSM, swearing, spoilers, smut, Hurt/comfort, fluff, some angst. Maybe some het since I adore Lady Loki, but IDK yet. Somewhat willing forced marriage via ridiculous love spell.

**Notes:** Set post avengers but pre-Iron Man 3 with some inspiration from the Loki: Agent of Asgard comics. Not enough to really be a cross-over though. I'll be completely honest here – I have no idea where this story is going or how long it'll be. I'm kind of making it up as I go along. May be AU later on.

Stuff in italics are meant to be the character's thoughts.

Will Probably update every few days since I'm keeping the chapters short.

PLEASE review! Critique is welcome.

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**Chapter 1: Deja Vu**

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It started with the new girl at Starbucks.

Pepper had been getting increasingly annoying about Tony neglecting his responsibilities to his company, not to mention his impulsive and destructive tendencies on top of it all. He couldn't help it, really.

He didn't _usually _ try to avoid Pepper, but he'd had a hard time facing her since they'd broken up after the fiasco in New York. It was too much for her to deal with. Being in a relationship with someone who risked getting himself killed on a daily basis was just too much for her to handle. That was her excuse, at least. Tony still loved her more than anything. Seeing her constant disapproval with almost everything he did was starting to drive him crazy. So he avoided her as much as possible. He'd either sneak into his workshop and waste the whole day there, or slink out of the mansion to pretend to do his job as the owner of Stark Industries. It was becoming a problem. Tony Stark does not tip-toe. He struts.

He used to, anyway.

The days that he left the mansion, he'd stop at Starbucks for his coffee. Making his own meant increasing his chances of bumping into Pepper by at least forty percent. If nothing else, he'd kind of fallen into a routine of sorts. Get out of bed, take a shower and get dressed. Proceed to stealthily make his way out of the mansion, and hit up Starbucks on the way to work. Then hang out at the company building for a while, and go get shitfaced at some shady bar when he got bored. After that, pick up a date and/or puke in the back of a taxi on the way back home. Finally, possibly have nightmares of throwing a nuke into space, and have a mental breakdown or two... Hopefully _after _Pepper kicked out whoever he dragged in.

Rinse and repeat.

It really was pretty fucking pathetic.

"I'll take a mocha latte with vodka and Valium, please babe." He said jokingly to the new girl behind the counter at Starbucks. She glared at him humorlessly with her oddly menacing bright emerald green eyes. He couldn't help himself, really. Usually it was this lanky red-haired teenage guy with a major acne problem and PMS to rival Pepper's. But this new girl, he could get used to her. She was really something. He could tell from the way her sadly unflattering Starbuck's uniform fell over her curves that she had a body a goddess would envy. Never mind the size of those breasts; he really hoped it wasn't one of those goddamn deceiving Victoria's Secret push-up bras. How he hated those. Still, he loved the way the long gold chain with the small plain round pendant rested between them – framed by a plunging white v-neck that was definitely against the uniform code. Tony licked his lips thinking of running his fingers through that absolutely luscious wavy waist-length ebony hair. If only the place weren't swarming with noisy virgin hipsters, he'd try to get her to come by the mansion later.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." She said blankly, and pointedly raised her eyebrows. Obviously she noticed him staring at her chest. "We do not serve that." Tony rolled his eyes.

"No sense of humor, huh? Fine. Just a regular large coffee. Light, no sugar." Tony sighed. "Do I know you?"

"Do I truly, or is it my breasts that have sparked your memory? Only, it seems you are far more interested in them than your coffee, _Sir._" She replied in an even tone with a hint of venom. He couldn't shake the feeling that something about her seemed familiar, though.

"That will be $3.95, please." She added when Tony was at a sudden, not to mention completely uncharacteristic, loss of words. He dug in his jeans pocket for the cash and slid it across the counter to her with his best cocky smile. _Was it always that expensive or is she just fucking with me?_ He thought as she counted the change.

"I'd remember those tits, honey. Even if they're silicone." Tony said as he dodged a few of the aforementioned noisy hipsters on the way out the door. There was always tomorrow. Maybe he'd pick up someone hotter at the bar later, or at least someone he could get drunk enough to think was hot.

He immediately regretted going to hang out at the Stark Industries Building. As soon as he walked in, he was almost bodily dragged into a board meeting. Really, they should just call the stupid things 'bored' meetings. It wasn't like they needed his input. Tony had nothing to do with the finances unless a new product was being launched or something. _This is Pepper's job, _he thought irritably. There wasn't even anything halfway interesting to look at in the room. Everything was just sort of smooth and in shades of beige. All clean angles and flat surfaces. That whole modern geometric scheme. Normally he liked that style of decor, but today it felt a cage. It took all of Tony's self-control not to drum his fingertips on the flecked formica tabletop as Pepper's butch secretary ranted about expenditures and plummeting stocks. He tried not to let out a bark of laughter at the pudgy middle aged man next to him that had literally fallen asleep. There was even a thin line of drool trickling down his bushy gray beard. Without even bothering to excuse himself, Tony walked out of the room.

Really, he'd just plain had enough.

Enough of Pepper's nagging, enough of pointless board meetings and _enough _shitty drunken one night stands.

Yet, at quarter past ten that night, Tony found himself at one of the shadier nightclubs outside of Malibu. Life as usual. He might as well get laid, whether or not it actually meant anything hardly mattered anymore at that point. It was just a distraction. A way to tell himself that he was still Tony fucking Stark and everything was just fine. Rainbows and sunshine and all that nonsense. If he could still get drunk and laid, everything was just peachy.

In reality, he was falling apart. Pepper breaking up with him had torn him to pieces just when he thought nothing else in this world or the next could possibly hurt him.

Tony sat alone at the bar with a glass of cheap scotch. Some kind of obnoxious rap music was blaring through the speakers, and colored lights ghosted across the mass of people dancing. Oh well, at least it wasn't some drunk teenage girl who thought she was Kelly Clarkson singing Karaoke. Never mind that those shouldn't even be allowed in clubs. But, knowing the bouncer has its benefits. He leaned forward against the bar counter and wondered how much of the crappy scotch he'd have to drink to get wasted. Honestly, it was no less boring than the board meeting. The only difference was that it was a little louder.

It was always the same, it never changed.

That was the thing about Tony. He needed constant change. He was always running off to the next thing that was new and exciting. Whatever had his attention before would be all but forgotten about. That was why it could never work with Pepper. She wanted him to settle down and live a halfway normal life. A normal life did not suit Tony Stark.

There weren't any new conquests to be made in the club, either. At least not that he could see. All the hot girls were already hanging off some guy's arm. Some of the ones he could always count on for a good night with no strings attached were available, but he wanted something _new_. Something... _exciting._

His eyes fell upon an unfamiliar women sitting a few seats down from him at the bar. She wore a skimpy, skin-tight emerald spandex dress that flattered her perfect hips and waistline. She had short black hair cropped on an angle that was longer in the front. Or maybe it was brown – it was hard to tell in the dim lighting. Either way, she was _gorgeous _and positively oozed sex. Without even thinking much about it, Tony abandoned his pathetic excuse for scotch and moved on to the second objective for the night: Get laid.

"Hey babe." He purred. "You wouldn't happen to be in the market for a good time tonight, would you?" Not the best pick-up line, admittedly, but he'd done worse. He must really be falling apart if he was spewing crap like that. He was Tony Stark, legendary womanizer – not a teenage virgin. Not Captain Spangles.

"Oh, you will just want to keep looking, handsome. I do believe I am bit too... Dangerous for you." She replied, giving him a coy smile. Really, everything about this woman was suggestive, from the husky tone of her voice to the seductive way her lips curled into that smile. She was pure sin, and Tony was _not _leaving without getting a piece of that.

"I like a little danger." He replied. She kept her smile firmly in place and folded her legs as she leaned back a bit on her bar stool. Tony tried not to drool when he noticed the thigh-high, stiletto heeled black patent leather boots. His gaze shifted to her breasts which were barely concealed below the skimpy dress. Glorious – that was the word for them. ...And the way that necklace she was wearing rested between them. He frowned as the image of the girl from the coffee shop swam into his mind. That was definitely the same necklace. And the same tits. He didn't know about the necklace, but those were totally the same tits.

No, it couldn't be.

It wasn't.

Their facial structure was completely different, even if the deep emerald pools of her eyes were hauntingly similar. Maybe it was her older sister. Those were some damn good genes.

"See something you like?" She asked, cocking her head to the side.

"You know what, I do." Tony replied and sat on the stool next to her.

"Hm. That is good to know. But I really am not particularly interested. Now, if you would please find some other piece of meat to harass, I would greatly appreciate it." She she said in clear dismissal. Tony stared in disbelief. Tony Stark did not get rejected by some chick at a club. Ever. No matter how hot she was.

"Do you even know who I am?" He inquired, suavely.

"I do. I also do not particularly care." The woman snapped irritably. Feeling somewhat like a kicked puppy, he decided to leave her be. The last thing he needed was Pepper reaming him out for _another _sexual harassment suit. Even if the only thing in his mind was wanting to run his tongue across that creamy skin.

"Do you have a sister or something that works at the Starbucks?" Tony asked, unable to stop himself. Even the cold indifference was the same.

"No." She answered dully.

"So, it wouldn't mean anything to you if I said I remember those tits?" The slightly tipsy engineer asked.

"No." Tony awkwardly said goodnight walked away.

Well. That had been quite the failure, but he hadn't been defeated yet. The night was far from over. He still had a taxi to puke in.

And damn it, he didn't even manage that.

Tony was mostly sober while he lay awake, draped over his bed in an awkward position. It was all wrong. There was a cold, empty spot where Pepper should be. He knew if he got up and looked, that some of her clothes were still in his bottom dresser drawer and a few of her business suits were hanging in his closet. It was like she was still there in spirit. Yet, she wasn't. It hurt. Horribly. All he really wanted was for her to be happy, and the thing that stung the most was knowing he could never be the one to give her that. The hardest part to deal with was the fact that she still lived there. If Pepper had moved out, maybe Tony would have been able to get his shit together. But no. That would just be too easy.

Suddenly feeling anything but tired, Tony got up and dragged himself to the workshop. He ignored Jarvis' suggestion to call a psychiatrist in the morning and planted himself in the chair near his workbench. He could drown his misery in tinkering. It was always a useful catharsis. It had to be, because the world was ending. Tony Stark had come from a club mostly sober and without a woman hanging off his arm. Maybe it _was _time to see a shrink.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes: **Hey guys! I know it's not Saturday, but I wanted to put a little more of this up so it's worth reading.

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**Chapter 2: Who are you?**

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Tony lost track of time as he sketched designs for a new Iron Man suit. Not that he really needed it. None of the avengers or SHIELD had contacted him lately. A month or so ago, Nick Fury had told him he had serious issues and needed to get help. He half believed him. Which meant it wasn't surprising that he hadn't heard from them. He wasn't dependable. He couldn't be counted on for much of anything lately. Fury and Natasha Romanov, AKA the Black Widow, knew his destructive tendencies well enough after the escapade with the palladium poisoning. To put it simply, he wasn't to be trusted in his current state of mind.

It was well into the morning when Pepper showed up in the workshop. Tony was going to have some words with Jarvis later for letting her in.

"Tony, I really think you should see a psychiatrist. You aren't yourself lately." She said, distracting him from the seam he was carefully welding along the edge of what would be the casing for a new helmet. Heartbreaker. That's what he was calling this one. _Thanks for the inspiration, Peps._

"I'm fine." Tony snapped, mostly ignoring her. "Don't you have a board meeting, or a press conference, or an interview... Or some other public relations, ass-kissing bullshit you should be doing right now?" He added venomously. He wasn't angry at Pepper. He was angry at himself. But with nothing to project that onto, he didn't really know what to do other than lash out at anyone unfortunate enough to cross his path. Which was usually Pepper and sometimes Rhodey.

"You're obviously not, but I'm not in the mood to argue. Fury has been trying to call you all morning. You need to go to New York. You might as well check on Stark Tower, I heard that the repairs are complete." Pepper explained. She looked like she'd been hung out to dry and put away wet. Her usually immaculate appearance was rather disheveled. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail and the reddish locks looked rather frizzy. Even her clothes looked a little wrinkled, and there were dark circles under her eyes. Tony tried not to feel guilty, knowing it was his fault she was in such a state.

"Why? Did he say?" Tony asked nonchalantly. He didn't want to deal with SHIELD. He didn't need the avengers and their do-gooder morals right now. He needed to dig himself out of the hole he was in, and he didn't want their help. It was childish, but he just didn't want to go and they'd have to drag him out of his workshop kicking and screaming.

"I don't know." Pepper replied tartly. "I'll get you on a plane. You have an hour to get your stuff packed. No arguments." She added and left, but not without glaring at him like an angry mother hen.

So much for being dragged out kicking and screaming.

It took him ten minutes to pack some necessities. He didn't bother with toiletries. All of that was at Stark Tower and it would be a pain in the ass to get through the airport security anyway. He would have just flown there in the Iron Man suit if Loki's stupid Chitauri nonsense hadn't totaled the last one. The Mark III was still functional, but in desperate need of repairs. There was also the Mark 42, but it had a few bugs to be worked out before it was safe to use. As an afterthought, he shoved the hand drawn plans for the heartbreaker into his carry-on just in case. Tony also had Jarvis upload them to his private secure server so he access them once he got to New York. He could work on it there. Maybe it would be a good thing. Pepper wouldn't be there to hound him and maybe he could get over her without having to see her face around every corner. Or it could be worse without her around at all, but he didn't want to think about that.

The flight to New York was uneventful; it was just a commuter plane full of corporate employees. Pepper must have been really pissed at him to make him fly coach, considering he own his own goddamned private jet. Well, it _was_ uneventful until he saw the flight attendant. He was about to order a martini, but choked on his words as his eyes fell upon a perfectly formed pair of breasts with a small gold disk hanging on a thin chain between them. He looked to her face and met deep green eyes as dark and mysteriously alluring as an emerald. Still, her face was different from the girl at the coffee shop and her features were softer than the one at the club.

"A martini, extra olives." Tony ground out and watched her as she strode away to fill his order. What the hell was going on? Now he _had _to be going crazy.

"Here you are, sir." She said and handed him the drink. It was then that it clicked, all the pieces lined up neatly in Tony's mind. Her voice sounded exactly the same as the other two women. Either he was going batshit, or the government was dabbling in cloning. ...Not that he would hold it against them when they could create something that perfect. Who wouldn't want to play God if they could have an army of hot girls waiting on them? _Huh, where do I order a few of those?_

He stroked his neatly trimmed goatee for a moment while he considered his options.

"So, who are you, really?" Tony asked seriously, curious what the reaction would be. Her perfect lips twitched into a faint smile.

"You are better off not knowing, Stark." She replied and walked away. Tony didn't catch so much as a glance of her for the rest of the flight. He couldn't help but swear in frustration under his breath as he disembarked at the airport. What did she mean he was better off not knowing? Did that mean that all three women were the same person? No, that was impossible. What was he doing thinking up nonsense like that? He hadn't even been drinking. Yet. Well, there was the martini, but one martini was not enough to get Tony Stark tipsy.

It turned out that Fury had not needed him at all. Well, he did, but Tony was useless without one of his suits. Instead, he sat in the empty meeting room on the helicarrier watching live footage of Captain America and Thor beat the absolute shit out of venom near Central Park. _Wait. Isn't that Spider Man's job?_ _Or is he too busy angsting somewhere?_ Tony leaned back in his chair and fidgeted in boredom. This room wasn't any more interesting than the conference room at Stark Industries.

He thought SHIELD could make a killing marketing the footage as some kind of niche porn. Rogers was being wrapped up in Venom's nasty black tendrils and was squirming like a bug trapped in a jar.

"Tentacle porn." Tony observed astutely and shut the monitor off. He left without a word to Fury who was waiting outside. He managed to get Coulson to fly him back to Manhattan and he went straight to Stark Tower. He didn't talk to Phil much. He had nothing to say. He knew Phil and Pepper were thinking about dating. Good for them. Maybe he could give her what Tony couldn't. But Tony wouldn't just let it go without being a little petty about it. In a sick, twisted and jealous way, he kind of wished Loki_ had_ killed the SHIELD agent. Maybe then he wouldn't be taking Pepper away from him. ...Even if the failure of their relationship was entirely Tony's fault and ended well before Agent Asshole swooped in to save the day.

In the end, he skipped dinner and worked through most of the night on the new Heartbreaker suit in the basement of Stark Tower. He decided to call it a night around three in the morning when his grip on the welding torch slipped and he burnt his left forearm. It didn't bother him much, he'd gotten used to that sort of thing after years of working himself into a coma. Absently, he dug some burn ointment out of a first aid kit in the shop and spread a decent amount of it on the burnt skin. It would be all blisters in the morning. Whatever. He heaved a miserable sigh and rode the elevator to his penthouse.

Still in his clothes, he flopped down on the bed and dragged the covers over himself. He needed sleep, desperately. He knew that, but with sleep came the nightmares. But it was just as he started to pass out from exhaustion, that his cellphone rang, jarring him back to consciousness.

* * *

Living in Midgard was hellish. The humans lacked any sense of refinement. Maybe it would have been different if he didn't choose a female form. If Loki had learned anything since leaving Asgard on a frankly hopeless quest to redeem himself, it was that men were pigs. Both Mortals and Aesir alike.

All of them.

Except Tony Stark.

Granted, Stark was a notorious womanizer and an absolute whore. But at least he had some decency. He looked, but he didn't touch. ...Not without permission, anyway.

Naturally, Loki couldn't just run around in his normal form – he would be recognized. Not even Thor knew about his current arrangement, and it needed to stay that way. So, he floated between being a few vaguely similar women. He spent a few miserable days living under a bench in central park before he first took on one of the female forms and got a job as a waitress in a small cafe. It was humiliating. It was no better than base servitude, but it was necessary in order afford food and a place to sleep.

At least he still had his magic. Or she. Whatever. Loki generally referred to himself as male, but the concept of clearly defined gender was something that he saw as petty and below him.

It was his third week as a waitress that he first saw Stark. Incidentally, it was also a month after the failed Chitauri invasion. Stark was with a woman who had reddish hair. She was dressed in a smart business suit and seemed very much a strong, dominate female. ...Not unlike the aura Loki seemed to exude in a female form. Loki had eavesdropped on the conversation, she couldn't help herself.

"Tony, I can't do this anymore." Loki heard her say from where she hid behind the edge of a doorway near the booth they were seated at. Stark seemed to fidget a bit, his clothing snagging on the cheap fake red velvet of the seat.

"Pepper, baby-" He began, running his fingers through his dark brown hair making it look even more disheveled than it already did. _A break-up it would seem... _Loki mused, shoving her hands into the pockets of her filthy pink apron.

"Enough. I'm done Tony. This whole superhero thing is too much for me. And... I don't even see you anymore. You just stay in your workshop all day like the rest of the world doesn't even matter. I try to get closer to you, but you push me away." She ranted, cutting him off mid-sentence. There were tears pouring down her face as she spoke. Loki rolled her eyes. Typical. Just another woman who expected the man she had her sights set on to change who he was to better suit her own wants.

"No. I wasn't pushing you away! You want me, but you don't want me the way I am. Sorry Peps. But I guess you're right. I don't deserve you anyway. You always were too good for me." Stark replied, oddly composed. "Just don't quit being my CEO, please. I'm like, literally begging you not to quit." She smiled, promised she wouldn't quit and left him there alone.

Only when he was sure Pepper was gone, Stark bent forward and hid his face in his hands.

Loki had kept tabs on him since.

He didn't know why, but somehow Stark seemed... Broken for lack of a better word. And that didn't feel right. ...Not when it was the same man who made a comment about him having 'performance issues' and stood up to him with no weapons but sarcasm and courage. It could have been plain stupidity for all the demigod knew. Loki wasn't sure why he cared, but he felt like _someone _had to look after Stark. After all, none of his so-called friends appeared to be particularly bothered by his odd behavior.

All right, he felt a little bit bad about throwing him through the window.

Or maybe it was just the loneliness that he could relate to.

Never mind, Loki really had no idea why he cared about Stark – he still loathed him. He was obnoxious as ever. Maybe he just wanted to kill him last, or something equally dramatic.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes: **I am having entirely too much fun writing this. XD Please tell me what you think so far!

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**Chapter 3: Stalker**

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Tony rolled over and fished the cellphone out of his pocket. Fury. Calling him at fucking three in the morning. Some things never changed.

"Yeah. We established that I'm useless, an idiot and why did I even bother coming without a suit... But do you think you could at least wait until morning next time? A handsome genius playboy needs his beauty sleep." Tony hissed before Fury even got a chance to speak. Angrily, he stared up at the plain white ceiling.

"You were asleep? It's snowing in hell. I figured you'd be at some shady ass club in Manhattan drinking like a fish." Fury replied, actually sounding a little surprised.

"I probably should be. But It's not much fun anymore. I think I might actually be, God forbid, turning into a responsible adult." Tony said dismally. "What the hell do you want?"

"Listen, just get your shit together." Fury spat.

"You called me at three in the morning to tell me to get my shit together? Wow, I didn't think you cared that much about me there, Olaf One-Eye." Tony snapped right back, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I didn't. And I don't. I just needed to know where you were. And now I do. Good night, or morning." Fury growled and hung up. Tony listened to the dial tone for a solid two minutes before disconnecting the call and throwing the phone across the room. It landed with a thud in the laundry basket near the door. He couldn't do that again if he tried. Why did Fury want to know where he was? But he was right about one thing. He needed to be drunk. Yesterday.

Tony hauled himself off the bed and strode out to the lounge. If he didn't know better, he wouldn't have been able to tell that Loki had thrown him through that window. Or that the floor over there was remodeled with his face shortly afterward when the Hulk got ahold of him. With a sigh, Tony rifled through the bar cabinets and came up with a bottle of Crown Royal. Drinking alone and feeling sorry for himself wasn't his thing, but better alone than not at all. He put some ice in a glass and poured it in. Forget shots, he might as well down the whole bottle.

So he did. And he was halfway through a bottle of Bacardi when Jarvis butted in on his little self-pity induced binge.

"Sir, you appear to be suffering from alcohol poisoning. Shall I call the hospital?" The AI inquired. Tony threw the half-full bottle of Bacardi across the room. It landed on tile somewhere with a satisfying shatter.

"Blow it out your ass, limey!" Tony shouted drunkenly and swayed dangerously on his feet. A few steps later, he staggered and lost his footing. With a crash, he fell backwards onto the tile floor, whacking the back of his head on the counter as he did. He lost consciousness immediately.

* * *

"...Idiot." Tony heard someone mutter and felt cool, delicate fingers running through his hair. "...Could have died..." He knew that voice, but from where? It was female, but it wasn't Pepper. He tried to open his eyes, but immediately shut them. The morning sunlight half blinded him and gave life to an epic migraine that had probably been brewing for some time. He had a wicked hangover – that much was obvious. Oh, he must have brought some girl home from the club and passed out on her. Classy. Wait. Did he go to a club? He tried to open his mouth to say something, but he closed his lips tightly. Better to let the poor thing sit there stroking his hair than to open his mouth and puke on her. _Such a gentleman, Tony..._

"Stark, can you hear me?" The girl asked. Probably a hooker. Only the hookers called him Stark.

"Mmm." He mumbled. Slowly, he opened his eyes. With a gasp that was equal parts shock and pain, he bolted upright and scooted away from the woman holding him on reflex. It was the cashier from Starbucks. But she was dressed in a pair of jeans and a plain black t-shirt. Her long curly, inky black hair was tied back into a neat ponytail. She didn't seem particularly offended but she did cock her head to the side curiously. He was sitting on the floor behind the bar. _What the hell? _Oh, and he really hoped someone dropped a ketchup bottle because if that was blood staining the floor tiles in front of miss glorious tits Starbucks, there was a dead body somewhere.

"Who are you?" Tony asked, shaking his head. He regretted it instantly and hissed in pain. What _had_ he been doing last night?

"Lo –... Just Lo. Cleaning service. Do you need a healer?" Lo asked, frowning.

"A... healer?" Tony muttered. "Am I _still _drunk or did I land in some kind of J-RPG? Seriously, who still calls doctors 'healers'?"

"You seem ill." She insisted.

_Wait. That isn't right. _He didn't have a cleaning service and never would. Too many options for security breaches.

"Jarvis, when did we get a cleaning service?" Tony asked the AI. He did notice that Lo bristled slightly as he voiced the question.

"We do not have a cleaning service. Also, Sir, would you like me to inform SHIELD that Loki Laufeyson is in the building?" Tony blinked and looked over at 'Lo', who was staring at him with panic in her eyes.

"Nah. Fuck SHIELD. Pop-Eye is up to something." Tony said and tried to unsteadily get to his feet. "Well, that explains a lot. Thor did say you were a shapeshifter. I'd threaten you, but those are some nice tits. You make a hot chick. Also, I'm too damn hung over to really care. Just go and come back in like a week. I'll kick your ass then."

She stared at him blankly. Her form shimmered and contorted in a flash of green light and none other than the Loki he knew and hated was standing in front of him. To Tony's surprise, he held out his hand to help him up in a gesture of peace. Tony ignored it. For all he knew, the crazy bag of cats had a magic dagger up his sleeve. Actually, he probably did. The hand he was holding out was covered in blood, after all. _Nope. Not blood, Tony. Ketchup. Otherwise there's a dead hooker in the workshop or something and… nope. Not going there. _Not that he'd ever killed a hooker, but there was no denying that he'd really hit rock bottom lately.

"I am not here to cause any more damage. To the contrary, I have been cleaning up my mess where I can." He said, watching Stark carefully. He knew he didn't have any of his armored suits, and eluding SHIELD had so far been laughably easy. Besides when they showed up and saw only Stark verging on alcohol poisoning and a bunch of broken bottles, they'd never believe him swearing that Loki had been there moments before. …If he managed to explain the blood. It was Stark's, of course. But Loki had magically healed what had been a nasty fracture in the back of his skull. It was a wonder the moron was alive at all. _Mortals are such foolish, fragile things…_

"You on the other hand... Does your life mean so little that you could so easily drink yourself into oblivion? You are lucky I have been watching over you or you would be dead now." The god added flippantly. Tony stared at him in confusion.

"Watching over me? What the hell? Why?" So, that explained a few things, yeah. How long had it really been? Maybe he'd only noticed all the weird black haired, green eyed goddesses in his life recently. Tony wasn't really known for being observant in his current state of mind. Still, this was weird. "What's in it for you, Reindeer Games?"

"Nothing. I am leaving." Loki snarled and made for the elevator.

"Sir, SHIELD has the premises surrounded." Jarvis announced. Loki visibly tensed and glanced to the window.

"I told you not to..." Tony mumbled, stumbling to his feet. "...Fucking Fury. Don't need his shit right now, I've got enough of my own to deal with. And don't you dare bust that window again!" He hissed when he saw a flurry of black and green leather make a dash for the window.

"Then what would you suggest, Stark? I may not be your enemy at the moment, but I doubt SHIELD particularly cares." Loki spat as Jarvis announced an incoming call.

"Well, you did save my ass, so shut it and let me handle this." Tony said as he answered the call. Never let it be said that Tony Stark is an ungrateful Bastard. …Even if his penchant for poor decisions and irrational impulsive behavior is utterly undeniable.

Loki stared in disbelief and fidgeted uncomfortably. He knew Stark was unpredictable, but why would he protect him from SHIELD? His eyes slid back to the window as he heard Fury's voice come out of an invisible speaker somewhere.

"Stark, I don't know what you're planning. But you have five seconds to give me a good explanation before I blow your little monument to your own ego to hell with you in it." Fury commanded, obviously raging. "In case you don't understand, let me inform you that not only are you surrounded on the ground, but in the air as well. Hand Loki over and I won't have you both killed."

"What the hell? I have no idea what you're talking about. The only thing I've been planning lately is how to piss off Agent - because fuck if I'm calling him by his name - for stealing Pepper. And I apparently accidentally attempted suicide by binge drinking last night after you called. Obviously that didn't work." Tony babbled into an earpiece he was wearing. "I hired a girl to do the cleaning here, yeah, but no one else is around." Loki rolled his eyes and gestured at the window, through which a SHIELD helicopter was visible hovering over the balcony. _Obviously_ they already had seen him. Idiot mortal. Why the thought to just teleport away never crossed his mind until then, he couldn't have guessed. He was about to do just that when Stark shooed him away from the window. Apparently the mortal cared an awful lot about the stupid sheet of glass.

"Don't play stupid, Stark." Natasha. Tony bit his lip. That was bad. Between her and Clint, he wasn't sure which one hated Loki more. "We've been noticing Loki's energy signature lately. And when we kept tabs on it, he was always near you. So either you've been compromised, or you're working with the enemy, we don't really care which."

"That's why Fury called then? And had Pepper make me drag my ass to New York? Why didn't anyone _tell me _Loki was around? I would have liked to know." Tony complained. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe he was_ stalking_ me? Because come on, you don't really think I'd work with him, do you? That's a catalyst for disaster. He's got to be the only guy in the universe with an ego as big as mine." Loki let out a bark of laughter in agreement. Maybe if he was lucky, Stark's incessant babbling would annoy the SHIELD agents enough that they would just leave. Probably not, but it _could_ happen. Still, how was he even standing?

"Wouldn't that be a nice thing to add to your list of reasons for being an egotistical jerk?" Clint said, obviously struggling to keep his voice even. "Being stalked by a god. That would go great under the headline announcing that you're gayer than a fruitcake."

"I am _not_ gay. Not enough tits. Besides I - " Whatever it was tony was going to say was cut off the sound of a massive explosion at the base of the tower. "What the Fuck, Fury?!" Tony cried as he felt the floor start leaning. _Oh shit goddammit fuck no!_ He thought in a frenzy and followed Loki's gaze toward the window. It was starting to look like a good idea. Though, maybe Loki didn't agree. What little color his pale skin had vanished from his face as he stared out the window at something Tony couldn't see. Not that there was probably anything there. He was totally a certifiably insane maniac as far as the engineer knew.

"Bambi? Hellooo?" Tony said, just as another explosion rocked the tower. Tony struggled to keep his footing and felt himself slide against the bar counter with a thump as the whole tower started leaning dangerously. "Damn, this is bad…" The migraine and hangover weren't making it much better, either. _I'm hallucinating. My goddamn tower is _not _the new leaning tower of Pisa. Nope._

"Stark! Get out of the tower if you don't want to die!" This was Natasha's voice. "That wasn't us!" Not them? What the hell was that supposed to mean? Before Tony even had a chance to react, a firm hand grasped his arm. Suddenly, he wasn't in Stark Tower anymore.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: On the Run**

* * *

For a moment, Tony thought he'd been sucked into a vacuum cleaner and spit back out. He was still intoxicated enough to think it was physically possible. The next thing he knew, he was falling. He didn't hit the ground, though. Someone grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulled him back up. He wobbled on his feet and took a look around. Not Stark Tower. Not even New York. At least Loki was gone. He had to be somewhere upstate. ...Maybe. Near as Tony could tell, he was standing in the middle of the woods. That was bad. It was embarrassing to admit it, but he'd have a better chance escaping a state of the art prison taken over by terrorists than this. He gave himself two days tops before he ate something poisonous and died.

However, his thoughts came to a screeching halt as he fell to his knees and vomited violently. The hangover had finally caught up with him. Great, he didn't even have any mouthwash. Gross. He curled up on himself in agony. It felt like his skull was going to burst. He would kill for an entire bottle of Advil and a gallon of Starbucks latte right now.

"You are a mess, Stark." Loki. So he wasn't gone. Well this was just fucking wonderful. Stark tower was probably a pile of rubble and he was stuck in the boonies with _Loki_. At least there weren't any windows to throw him through. ...Not that tossing him off a cliff wouldn't suffice. He didn't think Loki was all that picky about means of attempted murder.

"Yeah, I'd say so. At least if they blow up the tower they won't find the dead hooker you left in my workshop." Tony quipped and fell back onto his rump. Any other day he would be appalled at the idea of sitting in nasty, wet leaf litter wearing a pair of $300 designer jeans. But today, he doubted he could stand if he wanted to. What he needed was to lie down. And Jarvis was probably right – he should be in the hospital this time. Thinking of Jarvis, he took off his earpiece and threw it into the woods. He didn't want SHIELD using it track him. Fuck Fury.

"I mean really, you could have at least cleaned up the blood in the lounge." He added drily. Loki sat cross-legged in front of him and raised his eyebrows.

"If there is a dead body in your residence, I have nothing to do with it. The blood on the floor was your own. You fell while intoxicated and cracked your skull on the counter. I healed it, obviously. You are an idiot." Loki spat. Tony blinked and felt the back of his head gingerly. Yeah, it wasn't just a migraine. There was dried blood matted in his hair and pain lanced through his entire skull like someone took Thor's hammer to it when he pressed on the sore spot lightly.

"Damn. So... Why? All things considered I can't imagine you have any reason to care about my well-being." Tony muttered, and held his throbbing head in his hands.

"I don't. I despise you, Stark. You are obnoxious. I do not know why I helped you. It has nothing to to do with my mission, so do not assume it will happen again." The god snarled angrily.

"Mission?"

"That is none of your business." Loki retorted.

"Fine. Where are we?" Loki looked around and frowned.

"I have no idea. My primary concern was getting us out of the immediate area. As long we move from this place and I refrain from using magic, neither SHIELD or Doom will be able to track us." Loki explained. He stood and held his hand out to Tony. Doom? Did he piss off Victor Von Douchebag recently? Was that who blew up the tower?

"Get up, Stark. We have to move." Again, he ignored Loki's outstretched hand and struggled to stand. Only this time he didn't manage it and fell back down with a thump. ...And passed out, face-down in his own vomit. Loki wrinkled his nose in disgust.

His first thought was to just leave Stark there. But, one of the major rules of his mission for redemption was that he was not to harm, interfere with, or seek vengeance against the avengers. He was sure leaving Stark to die in the woods would count as one, if not all of the above. ...Especially considering his stalking Stark had been what led to this catastrophe. _Really, the Norns have a poor sense of humor._

With a few mumbled empty death threats, Loki lifted Tony off the ground and awkwardly carried him over his shoulder. He was glad for his physical strength that was far beyond that of a mortal. Having to struggle under Stark's weight and trudge through the undergrowth like he was carrying a wounded damsel did not bear thinking about. As it was, he might as well have had a bag of potatoes that had somehow offended him slung carelessly over his shoulder.

Loki went on for a few hours like that, using the sun as a guide and traveling steadily east. Around sunset, he stopped and dumped Stark's unconscious form into a pile of leaves at the base of an oak tree. What he needed was a bed, but it would have to do. He hoped he put enough distance between themselves and spot where he had teleported to throw Doom and SHIELD off his trail. These woods were incredibly dense and full of animals. As long as he didn't use magic, his unique energy signature wouldn't show up on the radar and infrared would be useless due to all the wildlife. Loki really did have to wonder why Thor had such a hard time understanding Midgardian technology; it really was rather simple.

He flopped down beside Stark and made sure the playboy hadn't actually died. He was fine. His breathing and pulse were normal. If he had died, his last chance to avoid Asgard's dungeons would be as good as gone. Loki didn't sleep when night fell. He needed to be alert in case anyone came looking for him. ...Even though he was sure Doom was preoccupied with escaping SHIELD, and they probably cared more about Doom considering what he'd done a week ago.

* * *

Loki had been in his crappy studio apartment in slease-ville as he liked to call it. It was actually a really shady part of Brooklyn. Ironically, it wasn't far from where Steve Rogers had grown up. The apartment was more like a glorified storage closet. It was one room with a twin bed, a small wooden table and a stove that looked like it was older than Odin. It was all he was able to afford. Well, legally at least. Theft and any kind of criminal activity was strictly prohibited by the rules of his mission. Unfortunately, being a waitress didn't pay much. And for some reason (meaning his overall attitude), no one ever left him any tips. So, he was stuck with this. It was better than digging for food in the dumpster behind the Chinese restaurant and sleeping under a bench in Central Park. He could also revert to his preferred male form since no one could see him in the windowless little apartment.

Loki complained to himself about his jerk manager at the cafe as he put a pot of water on the stove to boil. Cooking anything made him nervous. He didn't know how to do it, and he thought for sure the rusty old stove was going to catch fire and burn the whole building down. ...Not that anyone would miss the shady convenience store full of expired food that was downstairs. Well, he supposed the mortals that went there to secretly buy poison that made them hallucinate would probably miss it.

He took a bag of ramen noodles from a cabinet above the stove. He didn't really know what they were, but they were cheap and that was all that mattered. It helped that the picture on the package looked somewhat edible. He read over the instructions, but was distracted by a voice behind him.

A blob of water shaped like his mother's head was floating over the half-rusted soup pot. Loki rolled his eyes. Couldn't she manifest in something _normal_, like the mirror handing near the bed?

"Loki, I have a job for you." She said and floated closer to him. _Back over the pot, please, _he griped mentally as he noticed drops water falling from her liquefied curly hair.

"Yes, what is it this time?" He inquired, turning back to the bag of noodles.

"The one the Mortals call Doctor of Doom is planning to steal a powerful artifact from a large museum in New York. You must stop him." She explained. Loki just glared at her like it was normal to have a steaming blob of water shaped like a woman's face hovering in the middle of his kitchen.

"There are several museums in New York that house ancient artifacts. You will have to be more specific, mother." Loki told her, and leaned against the worn-out counter. He immediately sprang away when the wood creaked and strained under his weight.

"I do not know what the artifact is; Heimdall was not able to get that information. As for the museum, it seems to hold many ancient artifacts and pieces of valuable artwork." Loki tapped his foot against the cracked tile floor in annoyance. _The Metropolitan Museum, probably. _"The heist should be happening tonight."

"All right. I hope that is enough to find the correct location." Loki grumbled. "Is there anything else you can tell me? An estimated time would be lovely."

"That is all I can tell you about the mission, though there is one other thing. Why have you been shadowing Man of Iron?" Loki twitched awkwardly. _Because he is a self destructive idiot who will wind up killing himself, and no one else will care enough to prevent it? Because I feel some kind of twisted pity for his loneliness? _

"I do what I want." Loki replied nonchalantly. "But rest assured that my intentions are pure."

"Make sure that they are, I cannot protect you forever. The illusion occupying your cell will fade by the end of the month. You – we – will have to be more careful once you have 'escaped'." With that, and a slight popping sound, Frigga vanished and the floating blob of water splashed all over the floor. Loki looked at it with a sigh and grabbed a dirty dishtowel from the rack beside the sink. The least she could do was pay him somehow so he could stop living like a filthy hermit.

* * *

Loki had gotten the right place, but the wrong time. It didn't help that he didn't know what Doom was even after.

It turned out to be some kind of piece of jewelry recently excavated from the tomb of an Egyptian queen. A necklace, it looked like.

Getting past the museum security had been easy. He'd just shapeshifted himself into an identical copy of the first night guard he came across. He was early, so he took the time trying to familiarize himself with the layout of the building. He was fuming with anger at Frigga and Heimdall's lack of information. The place was huge. It took up several city blocks, there was no way he could cover enough ground to have any idea where Doom would strike. If he managed to complete the job and intercept him, it would be based on dumb luck alone.

Luck had not been on his side. Alas, when was it ever?

The place was full of ancient artifacts. The room full of Mayan and Aztec gold had a strange allure to Loki, and he could sense the magic in the pieces as easily as his own. He was sure that whatever Doom was after _had _to be in this room. After all, it was completely captivating. Loki practically drooled. Just one piece of this hoard could pay the rent on a decent apartment for months. And that bracelet there had a powerful enchantment on it for magical protection. He could make good use of that.

But he must not steal.

What a pain in the ass.

It was like a kick in the groin when the radio he'd stolen from a passing guard started spewing orders to get to the Egyptian exhibit – that there had been a break-in and someone with super human powers was trying to steal an artifact. Loki swore like a drunken Aesir warrior as he teleported down there. The Egyptian exhibit was right near the entrance. He needn't have spent hours wandering blindly.

He was too late.

When he got there, Doom was gone and so was a necklace from a display. According the little vinyl placard, it had belonged to a Queen called Nefertiti. Loki heaved a sigh and made to leave. Now he would have to hunt Doom down and steal it back. ...And anonymously return it somehow. He never got the opportunity, though. On his way out, he bumped right into the same guard whose appearance he'd copied.

"Well, damn." He breathed as the man's face turned purple and he started shouting. Loki vanished into thin air and appeared in the middle of his apartment before anyone else got the chance to see him. Now he was going to have to find Doom the hard way.

* * *

**Notes:** I am well aware that Frigga isn't the all-mother in the Agent of Asgard comics, I'm just borrowing some inspiration from them. This isn't meant to be a cross-over.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Spy vs Spy**

* * *

Loki paced the length of the apartment until someone pounded on the door. Immediately, he shifted into the form of 'Lorie Smith' – or 'Lo' as she preferred to be called in a pink fleece pajama set with cats printed on it. It would be the safest since that was the form the others in the building would recognize. It was also the same form she was in when she accidentally caught Stark's attention at the Starbucks.

"This is Agent Barton and Romanov of SHIELD. Open the door immediately or we will use force!" The widow. He knew that voice. Lo Screwed her face up into a sneer before it settled on confused and startled. She scrambled to the door and threw it open.

"What is going on? If you are you looking for the man cooking meth, he is three doors down." Lo squeaked, pulling off the act of a nervous woman easily. "I swear I have nothing to do with it, I just live here." The hawk stared at her intently, The widow regarded her with cold indifference. Both of them had their handguns pointed at Lo's head.

"Give us your identification, no sudden moves." Natasha commanded, her confidence unwavering. Lo rushed to her pink purse that was on the little table in the kitchen area and dug through it for her wallet, perfectly pretending to tremble in apprehension. Romanov and Barton followed her in, leaving the door open. Shaking she handed the wallet to the hawk. Barton pulled out the expertly crafted fake ID and examined it closely. Living in a building owned by drug dealers had its advantages. He shrugged and gave it to Romanov; she just slid it back into the wallet and looked through the rest of it. There was also a fake social security card, a rewards card for Starbucks (Loki rather enjoyed the overpriced bitter Midgardian drink), and two ten dollar bills. Barton put it all back and handed it over to Lo. He and Romanov both put their guns in their holsters.

"Where were you an hour ago at midnight?" The widow asked, pushing her red hair out of her face. Lo quickly explained that she had been in the apartment. She'd arrived home after her shift at the cafe on the next street over at quarter past nine. The guy in the shop downstairs would vouch for her. She'd bought food from him on her way up. No one would have seen her leave to go to the museum, Loki had teleported there from inside of the apartment.

"Has anyone else been here, even someone you know?" Lo shook her head, her green eyes wide with fear. "Well, Clint?" The widow said with a shrug.

"I don't know, this girl obviously has nothing to do with it. He was here though, according the energy readings. Bastard. I'm going to shoved an arrow dipped in cyanide up his ass when we find him." Barton hissed. Lo _barely _managed to suppress a girlish giggle. She'd like to see him try.

"Who are you looking for? Maybe I can be of some small assistance?" Lo suggested.

"That damn reporter already got ahold of the intel so I guess there's no point in hiding it. We're looking for Loki. The psychopath that tried to wipe this place off the map a few months ago. We know he's been in New York for at least a month, but we haven't been able to find him. And it didn't seem like he was planning anything. But he just attacked and robbed the Metropolitan Museum along with Doctor Doom." Barton explained. Lo's eyes widened and the color drained from her face.

"I hope you find him. He killed my little sister." She whispered. On the outside, tears formed at the corners of Lo's eyes, on the inside, Loki was straining not to laugh at the pathetic display. Barton and Romanov made uneasy eye contact.

"She's telling the truth." The widow said. "Let's go search the rest of the building, come on. We're wasting time here."

Loki breathed a sigh of relief once they'd left and stayed in Lo's form for the rest of the night in case anyone else came calling. This was bad. Now he had SHIELD after him assuming that he'd been working with Doom. Still, he'd duped Romanov. He wasn't sure he'd be able to, she'd seen right through him the last time she attempted an interrogation while he was held prisoner (by his own choice, of course) in their flying fortress.

That didn't mean he could relax though, Loki now knew that SHIELD somehow was aware of his movements. He needed to be more careful and only use magic if absolutely necessary. Just because he wasn't the enemy didn't mean that they would let his past transgressions slide. ...And it also rendered the illusion of him that Frigga had conjured in his cell in Asgard useless. If the hawk and widow knew Loki wasn't in Asgard, Thor knew too. But if they'd known for a month, why hadn't they done anything? And why did Frigga seem oblivious to it?

He'd have to stop stalking Stark.

He couldn't.

For some reason he was still drawn to the genius engineer. He had an unexplainable, powerful urge to protect him from any danger – self-inflicted or otherwise.

Sneaking onto the airplane and pretending to be an attendant had been a stupid move. 'Loren Brown' was apprehended by SHIELD agents as soon as the plane landed in New York. Again, the fake ID checked out and she was released with an apology.

He hadn't meant to bring SHIELD and Doom to Stark's doorstep. It just happened that way. And oddly, he felt a little guilty about it.

* * *

Tony came awake with a moan. His first thought was that he was going to be late from some stupid public relations gala. And what smelled like dirt and cat piss? Why were his clothes wet? He swallowed, keenly aware of the taste of bile in his mouth. His head felt like there was an angry dwarf inside his skull swinging a dull pickaxe. _I really did it this time. I'm laying hung over in ditch somewhere. Awesome job, buddy. _

"Stark?" Oh great, was that a guy's voice? Did he get date-raped by some dude from the club? It sure felt like it. His whole body ached.

"Stark? Can you hear me? You had better not have brain damage. Your intellect is your one redeeming quality." The voice drawled. Wait, yes. He knew that voice. Loki.

Stark Tower was leaning, slowly falling towards the Stark Industries building behind it. Fury was threatening to kill him. Loki was grabbing his arm, and he was puking all over the ground in the woods somewhere. ...And wasn't there something about Doctor D-bag? He opened his eyes, fighting the pounding in his head. _Couldn't that all have just been a shitty dream?_

"I think my brain is intact, but it sure doesn't feel like it." Tony replied and looked around, careful to move his head as little as possible. He was lying in a pile of leaves and it was raining steadily. That was why he was wet. Loki must have moved them from where they'd landed since it was obviously different from what he remembered. Speaking of Loki, he looked like a drowned sewer rate. His raven hair, which had grown longer and slightly curly since his rampage in New York, was soaking wet and stuck out from his head at odd angles. The leather tunic he was wearing kept most of the rain off, but he still looked ready to kill the first living thing unfortunate enough to cross his path. Tony shifted slightly to try and get more comfortable. As he did, he noticed that Loki's overcoat was thrown over him to keep him somewhat dry.

...Just what the hell was this? Had Loki _carried _him to relative safety and even covered him with his own coat? What the fuck was going on here?

"I have no idea where we are. I have been heading east, but the woods do not appear to be thinning." Loki complained. "If I use magic, it will draw SHIELD and Doom to us like flies to corpse."

"That's actually a surprisingly relevant analogy since we'll probably be a pair of cadavers if they find us in this shape." Tony said and rubbed rainwater out of his eyes. Carefully, he sat up and slid Loki's coat on. It was a bit too big for him, but at least it was warm. He'd rather be wearing Bin Laden's dirty underwear, but it wasn't like he had a choice. "Why the hell is Doom after me? I don't remember kicking his ass recently."

"SHIELD was looking for you because of me. Doom wanted me. It was just a horrid coincidence that it all happened at the same time." Loki explained and poked at the wet ground with a stick.

"Wait... Doom's a bad guy, you're a bad guy – why the hell is he after you?" Tony asked. He was pretty sure he hadn't ever been this confused while sober.

"If you had not been busy drowning yourself in your cups you would have heard that he stole an important artifact from the Metropolitan Museum. Honestly, I do not know what it does or why he wanted it, but I was _supposed _to stop him from obtaining it. I failed. Miserably. As a result, SHIELD found me. And Doom wants me out of his way. Though, I have mostly kept them off my trail." Loki told him bitterly.

"So, what? Did you want it for yourself or something?" Loki rolled his eyes. He might as well explain himself._ Having Stark for an ally would be useful in this situation. _

"No. I was ordered by Frigga of Asgard to stop him. Heimdall warns her of threats, and she gives me assignments to neutralize them. Rather than rotting in a prison cell, Frigga sent me here to carry out tasks meant to protect the people of this realm. For each task I complete successfully, one of my past crimes is removed from Asgard's records, and magically from the memories of its people. Each one I fail negates the reward for the next two missions. Nothing will change here, however. And I must operate in secret. Odin would not allow it any more than SHIELD would. But Frigga, the queen of Asgard, thought I deserved another chance." The god said and tossed aside the stick he was poking at the ground with.

"So you're like an epic space Viking spy? Yeah, I'm kinda with SHIELD and your daddy on thinking rotting in jail was the better idea." Tony said flippantly.

"Believe me, Stark. This is worse. Much worse." Loki muttered and looked away. Tony should know better than to believe him, but he did anyway. Because seriously, Loki having to be the protector of earth was fucking hilarious. To him, it had to be mindlessly humiliating. Especially if he had to pretend to be a chick to keep from getting caught.

"All right, so what now?" Tony asked.

"We should get out of this forest and try to blend in with humanity. Thanks to my carelessness, SHIELD now thinks you are working with me. I know for a fact that they believe me to be working for Doom. I also doubt it is necessary to tell you that SHIELD will treat you as a criminal now – if they do not simply assume we are dead after the attack on your tower." Loki suggested.

"Sounds like a plan. Fury's been looking for a reason to put a bullet in my head for a while now. No need to remind me that he'll jump on the first opportunity. Let's go. I need a need a bed and a bottle of Jack Daniels." Tony said and got up. It hurt, but at least he could walk now.

"I apologize. I could use magic to ease your discomfort, but you are not in any immediate danger of dying, and it would risk our location being discovered." The god said and got up as well.

"Yeah, no. Sadly, I'd prefer being tortured to death by you than SHIELD. I know what they do to their prisoners. I'll put my big boy pants on and suck it up for now. Let's get the hell out of here, Buttercup." Loki smirked. It was good to see a little bit of Stark's sarcasm return. But it was still beyond him why he cared.

* * *

Please review, guys. *big sad puppy eyes*


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: It's a trap!**

* * *

It took them two days to get out of the woods. They stopped occasionally to rest, and luckily Loki knew what berries weren't poisonous. ...Not that Tony should have trusted him. But really, he was miserable, nursing a full-on flu and wanted by SHIELD. There were worse things waiting for him than dying from eating something he shouldn't if they got caught. Still, he hardly counted it as food and the first thing he was doing after they found a hotel was hitting up a Burger King or ordering a goddamn pizza.

After about an hour of walking with Stark, Loki began sincerely reconsidering saving his life. The mortal chattered incessantly about absolutely _nothing_. He was worse than a teenage schoolgirl. The god figured it must be some kind of defense mechanism and mostly ignored it. He did tell him to shut up a few times, though. He also none too elegantly threatened to cut his tongue out and shove it down his throat. If it didn't dredge up horrific memories, he might have suggested sewing his mouth shut instead.

The rain didn't let up, either. If Loki didn't know better, he'd blame Thor.

Tony wanted to just literally _die _when they finally found civilization. If it could even be called civilization. They weren't upstate in the boonies. They had just wandered out of a ravine, untouched by humans for God only knew how long, in the middle of bumfuck nowhere. Arkansas, according to the signs along the highway they wandered onto.

_Well that's lovely._

"Lokes, you might want to change into someone else. This place is full of fundamentalist Christians, and no offense but you look like everything they think embodies sin and temptation. I mean, I doubt they'll recognize either of us out here but, just saying... " Tony suggested, only half jokingly.

"No. Shapeshifting requires magic and it will be easy for us to be found. There is nowhere to hide. It is not worth the risk I until we can figure out how SHIELD's computers are able to track my magic usage." Loki retorted as Tony waved down a huge box truck. It was the only vehicle to pass them in the hour they'd been walking along the highway in the direction of a city called Conway. According to the signs they'd passed, it was fifty miles from where they were. Luckily the truck stopped.

Tony was already rethinking the strategy when he saw the driver. He was a beast of a man wearing a gray grease-stained flannel and a baseball cap with a red pig on it. He had the world's ugliest handlebar mustache and reeked of tobacco. Tony vaguely recalled the pig having to do with a college football team or something.

"Uh, hi there. So, my girlfriend got pissed off at me and dropped her cousin and I off here. Any chance you could give us a ride to Conway?" Tony asked, smiling disarmingly. Loki glared daggers at him for his pitiful attempt at lying, but kept his mouth shut. The trucker's eyes darted to Loki suspiciously. "Uh, don't mind the outfit. It was for a costume contest in Little Rock we never made it to. Anyway, I've got a fifty on me, it's all yours for gas if you give us a lift." Tony added nonchalantly. Loki had no idea what Stark was talking about so he just nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, that's fine. I'll get ya'll there. Give me the money first." He said, his voice heavy with southern drawl. Loki barely understood, even with his natural ability to comprehend all spoken languages. Tony dug out his wallet and handed him a fifty dollar bill. It was all the cash he had on him. At least he had the debit card for his one overseas account that couldn't be traced to him. He'd just hit up an ATM when they got to this Conway place. He'd have to shred the other credit and debit cards to keep from accidentally using them as soon as he got the chance. A paper trail was no less traceable than Loki's space voodoo.

The trucker held the bill up to the light to make sure it was real. There wasn't room for them in the cab, so he let them in the back where they sat on top of boxes full of stuff heading to Walmart. Walmart, of course. Well, it _was_ Arkansas. Tony coughed spasmodically and wiped his nose on the sleeve of Loki's coat that he was still wearing when the demi-god looked the other way.

"You have a cold, Stark." Loki observed.

"I have a new nickname for you – Captain obvious." Tony replied irritably, his voice hoarse from his sore throat. At least his head wasn't pounding anymore. Though, it would be if he didn't get ahold of some decongestants. The thought crossed his mind to dig through the boxes, but he figured it wasn't worth the effort.

"If it pleases you." Loki retorted and curled up between two boxes. All the leaning and bumping as the truck moved was making him nauseous. This was not a method of travel he had any desire to repeat any time soon.

After what felt like days even though it was only a couple hours, the truck finally slowed to a stop. Tony and Loki exchanged a nervous glance as they heard the driver shut his door behind himself as he climbed down out of the truck.

"All right Reindeer Games, here's where we pray our redneck friend didn't bring us to a secluded area so his buddies can rape and kill us. Or worse, to a SHIELD base." Tony said only half humorously. Loki sensed the actual threat in Stark's voice and was ready to pounce in an instant if need be. He didn't need magic to defend himself. He still had his daggers and plenty of unarmed close combat skills. Plus, these were mortals, not Aesir. They would be lucky if he didn't accidentally kill them. They both held their breath as the door opened.

"All righ'. I'll let ya'll out here so no one sees ya. If you follow that road for half a mile, you'll end up behind the Walmart." The trucker said and motioned for them to get out, which they did. It was the middle of nowhere, but there wasn't anyone nearby. Tony had a bad feeling about it. Just as he hopped down from the truck, the redneck put a gun to his head. Really, he should have seen this coming. Could his luck get _any _shittier? "You can go after you give me your wallet."

"I gave you all my cash." Tony hissed. He saw Loki calmly observing their surroundings as he prepared to strike.

"Plastic money spends, too." The hick said and nudged the barrel of the gun against Tony's throat. Thank God Loki's coat was thick enough to hide the glow from the arc reactor. He'd really be in deep shit if the guy knew who he was. Forget the debit cards, he'd be held for ransom, and SHIELD would probably pay out the ass.

"Is 'plastic money' worth your life?" Loki asked, and before either Tony or the truck driver could respond, there was a dagger pressed against his throat. "Lower your weapon." Loki commanded. He did, and as soon as he did, Loki knocked him unconscious with a heavy punch to his left temple.

"Can you drive the truck, Stark?" Loki asked, completely ignoring the unconscious trucker.

"Yeah, but give me a minute. Find the keys." Loki searched the man for the truck keys while Tony climbed into the driver's seat and fiddled with the GPS mounted on the dash. According to it, they were right where the man said – on a service road behind the Walmart. He climbed back out and nodded to Loki who had just found the keys tucked in the trucker's back pocket. "We're right where he said we were, according to his GPS. Let's just walk. It'll draw less attention." In the end Loki agreed and they left the truck and its driver behind. Tony did, however, grab the gun with some extra ammo he found in the glove box and shoved it into a pocket hidden in the lining of Loki's coat.

When they reached the Walmart, Tony used the ATM to withdraw some money from his overseas account. They left half an hour later with normal clothes for Loki for and clean ones for Tony. Oh, and a week's supply of cough syrup and painkillers. Luckily, the place was nearly deserted. Aside from the cashier giving them an odd look while they checked out, the little excursion went without incident. After that, they got a room at a small hotel nearby. Tony would be willing to bet they housed sex offenders there or something, because the place was seriously shady.

Really, it was just gross. The air in the room stank of mildew and Tony didn't want to know what that stain on the filthy beige rug was from. The blood smeared on the tiles in his lounge looked more innocent than whatever the hell that was. The bathroom at least seemed passable. Not that he cared at that point.

Tony called dibs on the shower and stayed in there until his fingers looked like prunes. When he finally emerged in a cloud of steam, he felt somewhat human again. Though, his nose was still running. Miserably, he flopped on the one large bed in the room and used the hotel room phone to order a pizza while Loki went to clean up. Or, he would have liked to. …Only that there was no such thing as an Italian joint anywhere nearby. Just a Pizza Hut in town. But that hardly counted as pizza, and they didn't deliver. Tony hoped to God Loki took at least as long as he did in the shower, because he just might start crying.

How could he survive without real pizza? How could _anyone _survive without it?

Arkansas was the new hell.

When Loki walked back into the room with a towel wrapped around his waist, he raised his eyebrows in disbelief at the sight of Stark. He was curled into a fetal position flipping through a book with a black cover with an expression of utter defeat on his face. One hand held a tissue to his nose that was starting to look rather red. It would have been humorous if Stark didn't look like he was about to cry.

Actually, it _was_ hilarious.

"What is wrong now, mortal?" Loki asked, glaring at him.

"There is no God." Stark answered and threw the book he was reading against the wall. Loki's eyes fell to the cover which bore a stylized silver cross. _Ah, a bible. _He'd almost forgotten that mortals liked to keep them in hotel rooms for some reason. "These people don't know what pizza is."

"You are just realizing this now? Of course there is no 'God'." The trickster commented and threw his dirty clothes on top of the bible. "But surely you jest. I know what pizza is and I am not even of this realm." Loki continued with a sneer. Tony only shook his head.

"I need alcohol. I can't cope with this." Tony whined and buried his face in a pillow.

"Stop being dramatic, Stark. Your health will be better off without that foul, greasy excuse for sustenance. And, we are not even going to start a discussion about alcohol. The answer is 'no'." Loki drawled and dug through the Walmart bags for his new clothes.

"Who died and made you king of our secret criminal club?" Tony muttered mutinously. Loki ignored him entirely. Grumbling, Tony found the remote for the TV that had to be as old as he was and turned it on. He flicked through channels a bit until he saw the news. He wished he hadn't. _Fuck my life. Why me?_

"Oh no… No, no no..." Tony mumbled incoherently. Loki sighed in annoyance and looked at the television. His heart stopped and the shirt he was holding fell from his hands as he stared open-mouthed at the screen. _Perhaps Stark does need something alcoholic…_

* * *

No offense meant to people in Arkanasas. I LOVE it there. It's absolutely beautiful. I did a lot of work there working on my archeology degree. But seriously, there is no good pizza. Or bagels. Though, it's a trade-off because there's the BEST Mexican food.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Compromise**

* * *

"Doctor Doom is at it again, and this time he's really done it." A plump female news reporter with bleach-blonde hair explained. "But it's much worse than that." It was the image on the screen behind her than had caught Loki and Tony's attention. It was a nondescript pile of rubble, but the large letters that spelled 'Stark' from the top of the tower were resting on top. Behind it, the Stark Industries Corporate office in New York had been flattened by the tower collapsing on top of it. Tony mutely shook his head in horror and tried not think of how many people must have been killed. ...At least Pepper was safe in Miami. He hoped she was, anyway.

"We all remember Loki, the man who orchestrated the extraterrestrial invasion three months ago. Well, he's back and working with Doctor Doom. He was sighted last at Stark Tower during the attack, following the first sighting at the burglary from the Metropolitan Museum of Art last week. Loki is also facing charges for the now confirmed death of beloved tech genius and Avenger, Tony Stark. Though, many of us knew him as Iron Man. Funeral services for Mr. Stark will be public and held at his mansion in Malibu this Sunday." The reporter explained.

Tony dropped the remote and felt like he was going to pass out. Pepper was going to kill herself. Loki didn't look much better. But then again, he was being accused for the murder of Tony fucking Stark. That was worse than killing the president. He was in seriously deep shit and he knew it. They watched mutely as several images of Loki were displayed on the screen so that anyone who recognized him could alert the authorities right away. Well, as if this whole running from SHIELD thing couldn't have gotten any harder. Tony wasn't about to go see them to set the story straight, though. They'd still suspect him of working with Loki. ...Even more so if he was trying to cover his ass.

"Loki, at least two people have seen you. Three if the trucker can remember it. We need to get out of here yesterday." Tony said and jumped off the bed. "Look, I still hate you, no offense. But I'm not letting them blame you for killing me. I mean, that hardly does my memory any justice."

"Why do they assume you are dead if there is no body?" Loki asked and helped him pack anything that would be of use into the plastic bags from Walmart without the slightest hesitation.

"My guess is all the blood in the lounge. Nobody loses that much blood and lives. DNA testing would tell them it was mine." Tony assumed. Loki was being surprisingly co-operative. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing. The last time he'd gone along with what he was told had been a disaster. Maybe it was three months ago, but the events surrounding Loki's 'capture' were still fresh in Tony's mind. He could only hope this wasn't all some kind of elaborate plan that the god of mischief was hatching. Because if it was, he was completely screwed this time.

They left the motel shortly afterward, and not a moment too soon. Just as they crept behind the building, a SHIELD cruiser came flying into the parking lot with a screech. Tony and Loki ducked behind a guard rail near the motel and watched as none other than Clint and Natasha broke down the door. They wasted no more time and literally ran back to the Walmart. Luckily, there weren't any security cameras near the employee parking.

Tony made short work of hot-wiring an old beater Chevy pick-up with some eating utensils he'd nicked from the hotel room. He didn't even know what color it was other than rust. It might have once been red or tan. Loki hopped in beside him, and Tony took off out of the parking lot. At least it was a good vehicle to steal, there had to be thousands of similar trucks on the road around here. It blended in easily. And as an added benefit, it had a full tank of gas. Definitely a good thing considering it probably sucked fuel like Tony drank scotch.

The inventor and the god hadn't said a word to each other since they witnessed the two spies break into the motel room with their guns blazing. Tony sniffled and dug a tissue out of his jeans pocket. He blew his nose and threw it out the open window of the truck as they traveled back along the same highway they'd been on before. He shifted uncomfortably on the worn leather seat that was cracked and full of holes from cigarette burns.

"All right Rudolph. Any plans because I'm kind of at a loss here. The way I see it, going to SHIELD and setting the story straight is not a viable option. Living like dirty hobos isn't going to cut it either." Tony said, his voice nasal from his clogged sinuses.

"I... Do not know. We need to find somewhere that no one will recognize us. Or we could go our separate ways. I never intended to drag you into this, and frankly you are not of any real concern to me." Loki replied and pulled at the seat-belt that seemed intent on strangling him.

"Not concerned? That doesn't sound right coming from a guy who's been stalking me." Tony growled. "Which, I might add, I still have no idea why you were doing that. So no, we are not splitting up. I don't trust you, and I would rather keep you where I can watch you." A police car pulled up behind them and turned on it's lights. Tony hissed in annoyance.

"They found us, _already_? I am actually grudgingly impressed." Loki observed.

"Hello, we're in the middle of nowhere. The population here is less than a quarter of New York. It's not that hard. Though, this is also probably the only cop in the whole town." Tony retorted and floored it. He knew he was not going to outrun the cop in the truck, but get him off their tail, yeah, he could do that. The tires screeched as the truck accelerated. The cop was right up behind them as Tony flew over a flat median and down an exit ramp on the opposite side of the highway. The cop tried to follow, but the charger he was driving was too low to the ground. Loki watched him spectacularly flip the car over and skid upside down for at least a hundred feet until it came to rest in the middle of the highway – still on its roof. Tony sincerely hoped the idiot didn't kill himself.

"Well, that was easier than I thought it would be. All those crime shows make it look a whole lot harder. Need for Speed isn't even that easy." Tony muttered when they came to a small rest stop just off the exit. Loki stayed in the truck, and ducked below the dash to avoid being seen while Tony went to find a few road maps. He was back in a few minutes with a pile of junk food and soda cans from a vending machine and a bunch of maps stuffed in his back pocket. Settling back into the driver's seat, he took out the map of Arkansas.

"I've made up my mind. We're going to go teach Victor Von Dickhole a lesson and get that necklace back. I doubt he would steal it if it didn't serve a purpose. Besides, he 'killed' me and blew up my tower. It probably goes without saying, but I'm pretty livid." Tony suggested as he looked over the map. "The problem is finding him. And I'm going to need to build a new suit. I can access my servers without being detected, but we need somewhere to do the work. I think I can manage that. Anything is possible if you throw enough money at the right people. Any objections?"

"No, I still have my mission to complete." Loki replied.

"I just need to know one thing." Tony demanded and gave Loki and icy glare. "What's going to stop you from turning on me and _actually_ killing me. And then trying to take over the planet again? You know, not that it would ever work because humans are too much of a bunch of uncoordinated animals to ever be ruled properly." Tony inquired, his eyes locking on Loki's. He doubted he'd actually be able to tell if he was lying, but hey, maybe.

"Foolish mortal. Do you really think I desired to rule this pathetic realm? Barton was not the only one whose will was being controlled by another force." Loki spat and looked away. "I will not betray you while we hunt Doom, but anything after that is fair game." The man of Iron did not need to know that Loki wouldn't dare betray him because of the terms of his arrangement with Frigga. He still had his pride, after all.

"I don't believe you." Stark said simply and started the truck's engine. Without another word, he pulled out of the parking lot and back onto the highway.

"Beggars cannot be choosers, Stark. Also, I do not especially care if you believe me or not." Loki snarled and stared pointedly out his window. Tony thought he looked kind of adorable sitting there pouting. It suited the outfit he was wearing, which of course was all black. Black denim jeans and... damn he was rocking that wifebeater. Tony kind of imagined Loki to be scrawny under all the leather; the well toned body was totally unexpected. And if Tony had to admit it, he was a little jealous. If it weren't for Loki's personality, he'd have women clinging to him like no tomorrow.

Still, he had no place thinking of Loki and 'adorable' in the same sentence. Because really, that was stupid. Not that Tony was known for making rational, or even relatively intelligent decisions. Working with Loki to take out Doom, yup, this was totally one of the stupider ideas. But what were the alternatives? Turn himself over to Fury who would never believe that Loki saved his life? Yeah, no.

He honestly didn't care what happened to Loki. As far as Tony was concerned, he deserved to be rotting in a dungeon somewhere. After all, it had been his alien invasion bullshit that had been the last straw with Pepper. If Tony wanted to behave like a petty teenage girl, he could totally pin the blame for his failed relationship and raging post traumatic stress disorder on Loki. Maybe he would. He'd been needing something to vent his anger on. And frankly, Loki didn't stand a chance of finding Doom without his help.

"Who said I was the one begging?" Tony asked after they rode in strained silence for almost half an hour.

"Do you know how to let something go? You hold grudges like a scorned woman." Loki spat derisively. "Get over yourself, Stark. I am the one everyone is searching for. You are so 'beloved' to your people that they wrote you off as dead without even seeing a body. They are just using your assumed death as a rallying point for petty vengeance against me without trying, nor wanting to understand the entire situation. Your people speak of those of other realms as though we are ruthless war-mongering animals without sparing a single moment observing their own faults."

Tony wanted to pretend the comment didn't sting. Loki was right. They weren't looking for him. It wasn't about him. Sure, he was Iron Man, but he could bet his ass that is if were Rogers that was missing they wouldn't stop searching for the next hundred years. _Ugh, Captain goddamn America. _Rogers had told him once that he wasn't a 'real hero'. But what gave the Capcicle the right to judge him? True, Tony's malice toward Steve was mostly based on the fact that he spent his entire childhood trying to be worth more to his father than some dead guy. But, no. Tony never measured up to the glorious, perfect Captain America. Well Fuck that. He was done trying.

If what Thor said about Loki's daddy issues was true, that Tony could understand. And even sympathize with. It was pretty much the only thing about Loki that he didn't hate. He'd been there. He knew what it felt like to never be good enough - to live in another's shadow and have his own father treat him like he didn't even exist. Poor, do-gooder Thor just didn't understand. He couldn't put himself in Loki's shoes if he wanted to. But at least Loki wasn't being compared to someone who had been dead before he was even born.

"What's the matter, Stark? Have you realized that no one actually cares at all about you? That you are a miserable, pompous ass and no one can even stand you?" Loki drawled without even bothering to look at him. Tony slammed on the brakes. Loki reacted quickly and gave no indication of being startled. Some guy in the car behind them blew the horn and passed them, giving Tony the finger and calling him a 'cock sucker' as he did. Tony just rolled his eyes and turned to Loki.

"Get out." He said simply. The god glared at him, but there was something else in his eyes, Tony noticed. Fear. Loki had obviously been doing a shit job of surviving on his own, and now he was in the middle of nowhere. Prideful as ever, Loki unbuckled the seat belt and opened the door. Just as he was about to shut it after he climbed out, Tony called back to him.

"You can get back in if you stop lashing out at me for your own self-hate. Believe me, I know. And I also know it's why everyone else hates me because I'm too busy treating them like crap because I can't accept that I'm the one who has the issues." Loki hesitated, but made no move to get back in the pick-up truck. He didn't understand, no one did. _Idiot mortal._

"Look, we're in the same boat here so either we get along or one of us is getting fed to the metaphorical sharks, and isn't going to be me. So either get your diva ass back in here and try to compromise, or I really will leave you here. And you're right. I'm an egotistical selfish asshole. So are you. Sometimes we need people to remind us we're being shitheads and get the hell over it." Tony explained. He half wanted to tell Loki to suck it and drive off, but he knew he'd probably wind up turning around in a hour and picking him back up. Because he wasn't a jerk without any conscience, contrary to what Steve Rogers would think.

Loki got back in the truck.

"You talk too much. Do you truly enjoy the sound of your voice so earnestly?" Loki snapped and buckled his seat belt. Tony counted it as a victory. There was no venom in the comment, that had to be a good sign.

"As a matter of fact, I do." He retorted and cut off a kid in a red mustang for shits and giggles just because he could. _Damn, wish I could have stolen that instead of this gas hog relic of the eighties._


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Intervention**

* * *

After several hours of driving in silence, Tony and Loki were finally out of Arkansas. Well, it didn't have to be silence, but both the god and the engineer agreed that country music was nauseating. They felt sorry enough for themselves without listening to other people complain via twangy lyrics about how much _their_ lives suck. Loki was obviously bored, if the way he fidgeted in his seat was any indication. Tony would let him drive if he didn't think he'd get them both killed.

"Where are we going, exactly? And how much longer will it take?" The trickster asked. He was leaning against the door with his cheek pressed against the glass. For a thousand and some odd years old space Viking, that had to be the equivalent of an 'are we there yet'. Tony snorted in amusement and shook his head.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to lean on the door? It might open and you'll fall out. Though, no worries because you'll make a sexy roadkill." Tony said seriously. Loki looked at him and raised his eyebrows.

"It is locked, Stark." He retorted. _Darn it, it would be funny if he believed that._

"Still, this thing is an epic piece of shit. You can't be too careful." Loki entirely ignored his existence and leaned against the door again. "Anyway, we're going to Malibu. I have a funeral to crash. And I'll kill Pepper if there's no booze. Should be about three, maybe four days if we only stop to catch a quick nap once in a while. ...And if I drive like a fucking animal." Tony explained. That got Loki's attention.

He sat bolt upright and actually _growled _at Tony. Growled, like an angry feral dog. _Now that was... actually kind of scary. And maybe a little erotic. No, Tony, not erotic. That's Loki, not a Vogue model. We are not going there. _

"Are you mad? SHIELD will be flocking like vultures waiting for Doom or I to make a move. We are not – I repeat NOT going there!" Loki barked, his eyes glowing with malice. _What is he thinking?! IS he thinking?! Are all mortals this suicidal?_

"Chill out there, Rudolph. I was kidding. We're actually heading to Houston in Texas. NASA has a space center there and I know someone we can trust to set us up with a place to use as a temporary base. It won't be glamorous, but I'll have the resources to build a new suit. And with access to NASA's satellites, that I'll have no problem hacking, we might be able to track Victor Von Metalface. We should be there by tonight, if we don't stop or have to avoid the cops." Tony explained. Loki visibly calmed, but still looked ready to snap his neck and leave his corpse on the side of the highway.

"I do not know which horrified me more – walking right into SHIELD's waiting arms, or the bleak prospect of having to survive another day trapped in this pile of tobacco reeking rust with you. Also, what is NASA?" Loki groused, and Tony couldn't help but laugh.

"Definitely the second one. I'll hand myself over to Fury before that, so don't get your hopes up on disemboweling me and strangling me with my own intestines. And NASA is a branch of the government that does research in space exploration. They are sadly, and laughably, centuries behind SHIELD. Don't get your thong in a bunch, we won't need to go to the space center. As far as I know SHIELD doesn't really give a rat's ass about NASA, so there shouldn't be any agents nearby." Tony explained as they passed the 'Welcome to Texas' sign.

Loki was rather unimpressed by how flat the land was. It was interesting to be able to see nothing but the horizon for miles, but he preferred the mountains and wilderness of northern Arkansas by far. It reminded him of the highlands outside of the city of Asgard. It was the only place in that realm he might consider a proper home.

By nightfall on the second day, they reached the city of Houston. Loki spent the rest of the trip crouched below the dash to avoid being seen in the traffic. Tony blended in well enough, but Loki stuck out like a liberal at a Republican convention. Again, they settled for the night in a sleazy motel in the city limits. At least in Houston, Tony was able to obtain the best cheeseburger he'd ever had – but he wasn't going to risk the pizza. Loki grudgingly decided on fried chicken. It was disgusting, but sustenance. If he'd thought the food in New York was revolting, it was nothing compared to the southern fare. Everything was fried. He was sure it was the heart attack capitol of Midgard.

"Ugh. I haven't had any scotch in almost a week. This is unacceptable. Surely it's a sign of Ragnarok. Like the four horsemen of the apocalypse, but with more me." Tony whined as he lay sprawled across the large double bed in their motel room. Loki sat at the small table, still picking at his chicken. He was quickly learning to ignore 99.9% of Stark's inane babbling.

"I am seriously having withdrawals. That's it, I'm getting some booze. See you in like half an hour." Tony said and shoved himself off the bed.

"No." Loki said as he reached for the door. "You will be risking our safety if you do so. You are an idiot when you are intoxicated." Tony snorted and left. Loki sat alone seething with anger.

Two hours passed with no sign of Stark.

Loki decided to go look for him.

It took a bit of fiddling with the wires in the truck to figure out how Stark got the engine to start without a key, but Loki was far more mechanically inclined than Thor. He'd also watched Stark do it a few times. Driving it was another thing. He'd driven a vehicle with an automatic transmission during his last visit to Midgard. The truck that Barton had stolen from the SHIELD base, in fact. The rust-bucket Tony had chosen was a manual. But again, Loki was a genius in his own right, and figured it out well before reaching the main road.

Of course, he probably should have thought it through a little more. Not used to driving, Loki did well under the speed limit and had a whole line of angry commuters behind him when he pulled into the first liquor store he spotted. It was only then that he realized that Stark hadn't taken the truck. ...Where in the nine realms would he have gone on foot?

Swearing in mindless anger, he pulled back onto the road and headed back in the direction of the motel hoping to spot Stark walking back.

* * *

Tony had noticed that something was off as soon as they arrived at the motel. But Loki was like an angry viper poised to strike, and he really didn't feel like dealing with his melodrama. He felt like they were being watched, but again, didn't want to mention it to the angry demi-god. Seriously, the guy had to be having some kind of PMS episode or something. Had the comment about going to Malibu really pissed him off that much?

Tony should have paid attention to the silver ford Taurus that had followed them nearly all the way there, only turning off when Tony pulled into the motel parking lot. Well, he did , but he figured that driving around the city like a lost tourist would look suspicious. Still, it would have anyway. They were driving a stolen truck with Arkansas license plates, and SHIELD knew they had been in Arkansas. ...Or at least that Loki had been. Either way, he sincerely doubted that Fury really believed him to be dead. Nor did he think Loki knew how to drive, but whatever.

Like it even mattered. He was still going to get some scotch, or hell ANYTHING alcoholic, because he just could _not_ deal with this fucking bullshit anymore.

He didn't make it to the truck.

Two steps out the door, and he was staring down the barrel of a 380. He kept his composure, and looked up to meet the eyes of an infuriated, but familiar SHIELD agent. His eyes shifted to the other end of the parking lot where a SHIELD cruiser was parked under a tree. _Well, shit._

"Hey there, Legolas. How was Mordor? You just walked right in, right?" Tony quipped, smiling disarmingly at Agent Clint Barton. He still had the gun he'd nicked from the unconscious trucker if it came to blows, but he'd rather not have to shoot Clint. Or try to, because honestly he'd get his ass kicked and he knew it.

"You're actually alive. Nat was right." Clint muttered "But all the blood... How?" Totally not what Tony was expecting, but Clint didn't lower the gun either. He just regarded Tony with Steely eyes. He looked like he hadn't slept in a week. His blonde hair was a scruffy mess and he even had a bit of five o'clock shadow. At least Tony had the sense to pick up some disposable razors and shaving cream during their excursion to Walmart. Just because he had to live like a drifter didn't mean he had to _look _like one.

"Yeah, funny thing. Loki isn't the bad guy this time, though I honestly don't trust him and didn't know he was on earth at all until the morning Doom blew my tower to hell." Tony chattered. "Anyway, how about putting that down, because we both know that if I'm stupid enough to try anything that you're going to kick my ass." Clint lowered the gun, but did not put it back in his hip holster.

"What do you mean he isn't the bad guy?"

"It's complicated."

"I wasn't asking about your relationship status on facebook." Clint hissed. Tony couldn't help it, he laughed. He walked right into that one.

"Look, I'm inclined to believe you because nothing Loki was doing before indicated that he was working for Doom. Nat and I have a room next door. Tell us everything you know, and we might just let you go and pretend this never happened as far as Fury's concerned. Though, don't think we won't be watching." Clint demanded. Tony followed, it wasn't like he really had a choice.

Natasha was sitting at the table sipping a cup of coffee from the motel lobby. The face she made was pretty similar to Tony's first impression. It was shit coffee.

"Nice of you to join us." She said sarcastically and pointed at the chair across from her. Wordlessly, Tony sat. Clint leaned against the door to the room to prevent an escape. He'd have to cooperate. He knew better than to resist. Natasha wasn't exactly known for being subtle or gentle in her interrogations. In fact, when Fury needed someone tortured, she was the go-to sadist of choice.

"Tell me everything. Start with the first time you saw Loki." Straight to the point. Well, that made it easier. Tony started with the girl at Starbucks he'd seen all of two days before the tower collapsed. He hadn't known it was Loki at the time, but it was the first time he felt something amiss. Natasha was openly disgusted with the fact the he hadn't noticed that Loki had actually been following him for almost two months. Tony was more than a little freaked out by that, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

He went on to explain the blood in the ruins of his lounge, and that Loki had used magic to heal him. He had his doubts of that at first, but Natasha's confirmation that it was his blood firmly erased them. The next thing he mentioned was Loki's arrangement with the queen of Asgard to wipe his criminal record clean in exchange for protecting the people of Midgard.

"Ok, so it all actually kind of makes sense." Clint said when Tony finally finished talking. He'd left out the bit about stealing the truck and dicking over that cop, but he had a feeling they knew anyway. "I mean, thinking about it. The times we noticed Loki's energy signature when he wasn't stalking Tony were the reason we left him alone. It was only when Fury found out that it went to pot. He tends to overreact."

"Hold on, you hate the shit out of him after what he did to you. You didn't tell the raisin the second you noticed him?" Tony asked incredulously. All right, maybe raisin was a bit much, but Fury totally looked like an old prune. Still, he had a seriously hard time imagining Clint having any mercy where Loki was concerned after the trickster had turned into his own little thrall.

"No, because he was doing our jobs for us." Natasha told him. "The first time was a bank robbery in Queens. It was actually a Hydra job, but we couldn't get there fast enough. When we did, the Hydra agents were all tied up and gagged in the lobby. The staff told us that some woman with black hair in a green cape showed up and made short work of them. She thought the heroine was a new Avenger or something. When we looked into the records from the crime scene, it was Loki."

"Yeah, and a bunch of similar things happened since where would be criminals got there asses kicked by the same woman. Or a random civilian that no one knew. Obviously, Loki was using his shapeshifting thinking that would be enough to stay off our radar." Clint added. "But, when Doom broke into the Met and Loki's signature was involved – the shit hit the fan and we didn't have the option to give him the benefit of the doubt because Fury was up our ass to just kill him. Not that killing demigods is something they taught us during training."

"And you." Natasha said glumly. "We were originally just supposed to swoop in and snuff you. Thank God Steve was there to talk him down, because Fury wouldn't have it when we told him to look into it a little more."

"We're actually supposed to kill you if we do find you alive. But I think we should make a different call." Clint said and finally left the doorway.

"I agree. But, we're still going to watch you because Loki isn't to be trusted. I know you're heading to Houston, and what you're planning to do. We can do the homework for you." Natasha Suggested. Tony tried unsuccessfully to hide the shock in his expression. It shouldn't surprise him, really. These two were pretty much the most badass spies ever. "Doom is currently in Latveria. We can't touch him right now. You do need a suit though, especially considering Fury still wants you dead. ...Though you've got some leeway because he's pretty sure you already are. We can't keep him from tracking Loki's magic, though. Unless he doesn't use it."

"Anyway, there's a warehouse here you can use to build a new suit. SHIELD actually _does_ have contacts in NASA. It'll be set up by the end of the week. Until then, keep your heads down. You won't see us, but we'll be watching." Clint said ominously and handed him a scrap of paper with the address for the warehouse written on it.

"Can you just do me one favor? Can you tell Pepper I'm not dead?" Tony asked as he started to turn the doorknob. Natasha nodded affirmatively. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and shut the door behind him. As he strode back to his and Loki's room, he noticed something wasn't quite right. His eyes fell on the empty parking spot the truck had been in.

"Shit. Fuck. Can I borrow your cruiser?" Tony cried, bursting back into the room.

"Fuck no. I mean yeah, but you're not driving." Clint said and ran to the SHIELD cruiser with Tony at his heels when he noticed the rust bucket truck that Tony stole was missing. Natasha just sipped her cheap motel coffee and ignored them. Men will be men.

* * *

Please review, pretty please? *pathetic begging*


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Sympathy**

* * *

Loki did not see Stark wandering along the highway on the way back to the motel. He decided to try a different route to see if there was another liquor store nearby. After about half an hour of searching blindly, he heard the sound of police sirens behind him. _As if this could get any_ worse, he thought angrily. In a moment of panic, he realized he would never be able to pull off Stark's impressive evasive maneuvers. He was lucky he could keep the rusty old thing going in a straight line. _Maybe they already caught Stark. _ He looked up to the rear view mirror and nearly died.

What he thought was a police car had the SHIELD logo on the hood.

Not good. _What does one even do when a law enforcement vehicle is following them? _He figured that Stark's previous methods were not the proper way of handling it. He pulled off to the side of the road, barely managing to get the truck to stop. Apparently the braking system was as rusty as the rest of it.

Maybe they would drive by. Perhaps they just wanted to go past and didn't know who was driving the truck. He was moving very slowly while he looked for Stark. He was probably in their way. That was all.

Yes, just drive past.

They didn't, and pulled up behind him.

In horror, Loki tried to get the truck out of park, but somehow he'd stalled it and couldn't get it in gear. Swearing vehemently, he considering getting out and running when he heard not one, but two car doors slam behind him. If that was Barton and Romanov, he was as good as dead.

"Damn it, how...?" He hissed as he fought with the clutch. Maybe if he stopped the engine and restarted it he could get it running, but then he'd have to fiddle with the wires again and there was no time.

"I'm actually kind of surprised. Who the hell taught you how to drive, Reindeer Games?" Loki's mindless fear transformed into anger in a flash. He sat up straight and glared out the open window at Stark who was leaning casually on the side of the truck. "Seriously, who was it?"

"Barton. Though I remember very little of it." He snarled. "And where HAVE you been?! You said half an hour; it has been almost three. And by the Norns, WHAT are you doing with that car? I know you are an idiot, but that will not help to keep a low profile."

"Aww, you went looking for me? That's so sweet of you. I never took you for a romantic." Tony drawled, smiling like an idiot. He sincerely hoped the pinkish hue of of Loki's face was mindless anger and not... Something else.

"I didn't know you taught him how to drive, Katniss. I would have made _him_ drive all the way here from bumfuck nowhere if I knew that." Nervously, Loki glanced over Tony's shoulder to where he could see Barton leaning casually against the fender of the SHIELD car. It looked like a regular police car; it really was just a Dodge Charger with lights on the roof and the SHIELD logo on the hood. Though, it was probably armed like a tank.

Clint snorted and ignored Stark while he did something with his cellphone. Loki thought that perhaps he shouldn't have said anything. He had very few memories of the time he was under Thanos' control, and driving was a particularly hazy one. The only reason he'd managed was because of having watched Stark.

"Right anyway, I didn't steal that car." Tony chattered. "It's a long story. Tell you on the way back. Oh, and hit up the liquor store, I saw one back there on the way." He added as he climbed into the truck.

"I can't get it in gear." Loki admitted awkwardly. Tony rolled his eyes.

"All right fine. Get out, I'll drive." He said and switched places with Loki. After about fifteen minutes of messing with it, Tony looked in the mirror and thankfully Clint was still there talking to Natasha on the phone. Because yeah, walking back was not going to be fun. Tony got out and walked over to the SHIELD cruiser without a word to Loki. He knocked lightly on the window. Clint hung up the phone and rolled it down.

"I take it you didn't teach him to drive a manual?" Tony muttered.

"Nope. He blew the trans?" Clint answered, grinning.

"Yeah, but it was going anyway. That thing is even shittier than it looks, if it's possible. I think it's sheer luck that lasted this long. Brakes and alternator are shit too." Tony replied, shaking his head. "Give us a lift back to the motel?"

Loki was seething with rage when Tony shut him in the back seat of Clint's car. It took all the self control he possessed not to remind Clint of his previous promise to shove an arrow coated in cyanide up his ass. Admittedly, he would still like to see him try. The mortal wouldn't stand a chance against him in his right mind with full control over his magic. Of course, such a pointless waste of energy would accomplish nothing but to land him right back in his cell in the dungeons of Asgard. No, it was better to sit there and stew rather than attempting to murder both Barton and Stark - no matter how nice it would feel. Though, nothing stopped him imaging it.

They'd opted to just abandon the truck. Tony kind of doubted anyone was even looking for it. Clint admitted that when he ran the plate number, he found that the registration had expired fifteen years ago. It had also never been insured. Typical. It was a good thing that local cop back in Arkansas hadn't caught them. ...Or the actual owner for that matter.

Back at the motel, they went their separate ways. Clint back to his room and Loki and Tony to theirs.

Loki was, of course, mistrustful of Clint and Natasha's offer of help.

"This is a trap. I can feel it." He groused while Tony moped around the room looking for something to entertain himself with. Clint and Loki had refused to allow him to have anything alcoholic, and the last thing he wanted to do was sleep. Never mind the chances of Loki murdering him while he slept, he didn't want to deal with the nightmares and Loki possibly witnessing him screaming like a frightened child. He'd never live past the shame.

"Of course it is." Tony said seriously. He was leery as well. Clint and Natasha were Avengers, yeah, but they were still loyal to SHIELD. If Fury said jump, they jumped. He doubted they'd refused to assassinate him. The Capcicle was probably the only thing that had so far prevented his death. If any of that was even true. What he wouldn't give to be able to hack into SHIELD's secure servers right now...

"Then why are you going along with it?" The demigod demanded, fixing him with a stern glare. Tony got up and paced around the room restlessly a few times before answering.

"Because I know we're not going to win in a fight with them right now. I'm only planning to play along until we have the means to fight back or actually elude them. Well, I guess you could kick their asses but something tells me that's against the rules for the whole protecting Midgard thing. They knew everything - all of our plans. Honestly, I have no idea how. But they're better than I thought." Tony explained. Loki decided to let it drop. It was reasonable enough. At least Stark hadn't done anything stupid. Yet.

"God I need some scotch." Tony whined and flopped on the bed. At least he stopped pacing. It was only half sarcasm. The reality of the situation was finally starting to set in, and and Tony was on the verge of losing it. He needed something – anything – alcoholic to cope with it. If he could feel the familiar burn of alcohol at the back of his throat, maybe he'd be able to keep laughing it all off. Maybe he'd feel like himself. Right now, he felt like a puppet with Loki and SHIELD holding the strings. And he wasn't sure which of them terrified him more. SHIELD who would use his tech to create weapons for mass destruction whether he cooperated or not, or Loki who Tony was sure only intended to play the good guy as long as it suited him.

He rolled over in a fetal position, unaware of Loki watching him. If not alcohol, he needed to occupy his mind. He needed a welding torch in his hand and Jarvis bitching about his lack of sleep in his ears. Again, he just needed to do _something_ with his hands, even if he didn't create anything of real use. Tony would be a horrible person to have had in Loki's glass prison on the helicarrier. The downfall of having such a brilliant mind was that if it wasn't in use, it made him nuts. Nothing drove Tony absolutely batshit like being bored and not being able to do anything.

He hadn't even noticed the pain in his chest, or the way his breathing had gone erratic until Loki butted in on his pathetic mess of self-pitying thoughts.

"Stark? Are you ill?" The demigod asked.

"No." He answered. _No, just another damned panic attack. _But he wouldn't let Loki see that. Showing your enemy your weaknesses was never a good thing. "Alcohol withdrawals." He muttered. Only half a lie, really. The desperate need for alcohol was starting to cloud his thoughts, and frankly he just felt like shit. The cold he was fighting was better than earlier, but it was still there.

Tony dragged himself off the bed and started digging through the drawers in the little bed-stand near him. He came up with a tiny post-it pad and a pen with the motel's name on it. Immediately he began scrawling plans for a new suit with Loki watching him curiously. As he focused on the math, his heart rate finally slowed. When he ran out of post-it's he took the bible out of the bottom drawer and used that. He figured divine retribution for defiling a holy text would probably be less painful than having an anxiety attack in front of Loki.

When the pen ran out of ink, he actually let out an anguished cry of defeat and curled up into a sad little ball on the bed. It couldn't get any worse. He was on the run from SHIELD with the world's number one most wanted terrorist. And was losing his shit in front of said terrorist. Pepper thought he was dead – he knew Clint and Natasha probably wouldn't bother to tell her he was alive.

But what did it matter?

Why was it that thinking of Pepper caused the most pain? They had gone their separate ways. Yet, all the meaningless sex in the world hadn't driven his feelings for her out of his mind. Neither had the binge drinking or working for days without eating.

What was he even living for? Some kind of debt to the world for the lives his weapons had taken? No. That was just his selfishness talking. He loved basking in the attention. He was as close to a god as he believed in, and loved every second of it. He wanted to be worshiped. Sure, part of him saw it is a kind of atonement, but he'd been slowly reverting to being a selfish prick and he knew it. Just because he didn't make weapons anymore didn't make him a saint.

But he was alone when it mattered. He had no one left to run to.

He needed...

He didn't even know what he needed.

* * *

Loki watched the progression of what he was sure was a panic attack to a total meltdown with some degree of interest and worry. When Stark collapsed on the bed at last, he left a trail of torn up paper with failed equations sketched on them scattered everywhere in this wake. It looked like a little tornado full of paper scraps had gusted through the entire room. Loki even picked a piece of a post-it out of his hair. He doubted that Stark was conscious of what he had been doing in the slightest.

"Stark?" He asked again after the engineer lay unmoving for about twenty minutes.

"Mm." Was his only reply. With an annoyed sigh, Loki got up from his chair and brushed the bits of paper off the table onto the floor. He sat on the edge of the bed and shook Tony's shoulder. He ignored him entirely. It was like he was in a trance. But he knew the state Stark had worked himself into better than he would like to admit. And he knew alcohol withdrawals were only a small part of it. He knew Stark would never admit how much it hurt, but the world so easily writing him off for dead was like a mortal wound to his obviously fragile mental well-being.

"Stop worrying about the little things and think about what is actually important. That mortal woman you are obsessed with isn't important right now – remaining free of SHIELD is. We need a plan. You can feel sorry for yourself _after _we capture Doom. If you need a reason, think of what will happen if your technology falls into the wrong hands. I do believe changing your family's rather dismal legacy meant something to you once." Loki said. Stark still ignored him, but the trickster knew he was listening. "We need a place to work, yes, but it will be of little use if we are sabotaged before we begin."

"I suppose you know a thing or two about sabotage." Tony muttered bitterly.

"I do. I am also all too familiar with rejection of both lovers and the people that _should _admire me as the prince that I am. Stop pitying yourself. It will get you nowhere." Loki replied, and dug for the TV remote under Tony's mess of papers. Watching the news might give them some kind of indication of what Doom was up to, even if the reports weren't specifically about him.

"Is that sympathy?" Tony mumbled, not even looking at Loki.

"Somewhat. But mostly I need your assistance, as much as I am loathe to admit it. Frankly, you are of no use to me like this." He snapped a tiny bit more defensively than necessary. _Yes, it was sympathy. _

"You're not as good at lying as I thought you would be." Tony conceded and rolled over. "And you're right. As much 'I am loathe to admit it' Pepper isn't important right now. I'm sure she's safe. And I think I already have a plan. Which is good because I wasn't keen on arguing over who gets the bed because I am NOT sleeping with you. Pack up, we're leaving."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: The Escape**

* * *

Tony was depending on Clint and Natasha thinking they'd convinced him to cooperate. The whole plan would go to pot if they anticipated him and Loki making a run for it. They needed to move now. Granted it was a stupid ass plan, but it was better than playing into SHIELD's waiting hands. Besides, he totally doubted they'd see this one coming.

"All right, Reindeer Games. I need you tell me a little bit about your magic. Like, you can sense other people using it, right?" Tony asked as he looked out the window, making sure Clint and Natasha were still in their room. They were, and their cruiser was parked on the side, out of the view from their window. Perfect.

"As you wish; if it will help." Loki replied as he put on a plain green button-down shirt he'd gotten during their adventure in Walmart.

"So, can anything interfere with that ability? Like if they're underground or behind metal or something?" Tony continued, and settled on his plan to steal the SHIELD cruiser. Worst case scenario, they'd be able to outrun pretty much anything unless Fury sent a chopper after them. Unlike the majority of the SHIELD agents, Tony had survived the Grand Prix in Monte Carlo. And if it weren't for Ivan Vanko ruining his little party, he would've won. In other words, pretty much no one was going to be able to stop him in that car without blowing it up with an armed aircraft. ...Which would be quite a spectacle and SHIELD was not likely to risk it. It would be easy for them to cover up, of course, but it probably wasn't worth the effort.

"No, not especially. Though being underground may block SHIELD's computers if that is what you were thinking of." The trickster answered. "It is a risk better off not taken."

"Never mind that, then." Tony replied, "Plan B it is." They were probably better off anyway. If Clint and Natasha were going to get them a workspace, they probably knew his buddy in the NASA base.

"What is plan B?" Loki asked and followed Tony's gaze out the window.

"Just follow my lead. You're not going to like it, but I think you'll be able to deal with it when I explain myself." Tony told him and pulled on a white t-shirt. Quickly, he shoved a the cutlery from the drawer beside the bed into his back jeans pocket in case he needed makeshift tools. "Now, what I need you to do is carry the stuff." Loki glared at him angrily.

"You expect me to trust you?" He hissed, but grabbed the Walmart bags with their clothes and leftover food from the rest stop vending machine anyway.

"No, but I don't want to tell you in case Clint and Nat have a bug in here. They might be able to hear everything we're saying." Tony explained. Loki sighed in resignation. He supposed that was a distinct possibility. Without another word, he followed Tony out of the door. He didn't even ask what was going through his idiot mortal brain when they walked around the back of the building instead of just heading for the road. When they came out on the other side of the parking lot, he raised his eyebrows questioningly. Tony motioned for him to be quiet and had him hide behind the dumpster. He whispered a string of curses when he saw the engineer approach the SHIELD cruiser using the shrubbery it was parked next to as cover. _What is that Idiot thinking? He is not seriously... Oh Norns no... He is going to steal the SHIELD vehicle._

And that he was. Tony made fast work of picking the lock with wires he'd ripped out of the back of the TV, and even faster work of hacking the computer that was embedded in the dash. Within seconds, he'd reset the voice commands and disabled all SHIELD protocols. He hit the button for the automatic locks and motioned for Loki to get in. Glaring like an angry viper, he did and threw the bags into the back seat.

"Engine start." Tony commanded and the car came to life. Easy. No hot wiring and, no dirty work. Much better than that stupid truck. Not to mention _much _faster and loaded with weapons that he hopefully wouldn't need to use.

"Now, if you want to know why I chose this car, there's two reasons. One: I know how all the tech works – I built the entire system for SHIELD a few months ago. It doesn't need keys, and it'll only respond to my voice commands now. Two: It's fast as fuck and no one's going to be able to catch it to save their lives. SHIELD goons and cops don't drive in the Grand Prix. ...Though I know you have no idea what that means. As an added benefit, all SHIELD cruisers have the same license plate, they won't be able to use that to get any help from the local authorities. That secrecy thing is about to bite them in the ass pretty hard." Tony explained as they left the parking lot by going back around the building so the two spies wouldn't see them pass their window.

Loki still looked incredibly pissed, but he obviously understood the logic. Also, he sincerely doubted Barton and Romanov would have planned for them pulling a stunt like this. If nothing else, it would buy them some time.

"All right, fine." He eventually caved. "Where are going?" He asked, dreading the answer.

"Malibu. I don't feel like wasting time building a new suit when I can just take the Mark 42. It's operational and while I've only done some test flights with it, it should be good enough. It kind of blows that I have to steal from myself, though. At least breaking in will be easy as long as SHIELD doesn't have the place surrounded." Tony rambled as they drove, leaving the Houston city limits behind them.

"I suppose it is better than visiting your 'funeral' last week, but really, is this necessary?" Loki snapped, though Tony honestly thought it sounded a little bit the demigod was actually whining like a kid that didn't want to do its chores.

"Sorry Bambi, I'm not a badass space viking wizard. I'm going to need it." Tony answered. Loki muttered something mutinously, but otherwise refrained from commenting.

Sure, Loki was still a snide little son of a bitch, but it was almost scary how well they had worked together so far. Tony hadn't believed Loki's comment about not being in control of his own mind when he attacked earth, but now he was starting to think it might be possible. If nothing else, Loki was smart and preferred stealth. He'd followed Tony for two months and he hadn't even noticed. Even now, he insisted on totally reasonable strategies. The only problem with that was that Tony didn't feel like spending the rest of his life in hiding. That being said, Loki's way of thinking now clashed horribly with the trickster Tony thought he knew. The Loki that was sitting next him in the SHIELD cruiser fuming with anger at such an idiotic, risky plan never would have pulled that ridiculous stunt in Stuttgart. Well, maybe not. Tony could totally see him commanding a bunch of 'lowly mortals' to kneel before him – but not while something more important was at stake. It had been a distraction, obviously, but Loki never would have exposed himself in that way, either. He would have taken another form, that was certain.

"And here I thought I would not have to endure sitting in a car with you for three days." Loki complained boredly, Tony only rolled his eyes.

"Compromise, remember? Plus, I'm doing literally 95 miles an hour. No one is going to argue with this car,_ if _they don't shit themselves when they see it flying up behind them. What else do you want from me?" Tony said, pouting. There was no trace of any particular annoyance in his voice, though. Loki looked out the window at the landscape rushing by at an alarming speed. Somehow he thought it should be nauseating, but Stark guided the car easily at such a speed. It didn't even lean much when he weaved through traffic. ..And here he had barely kept that truck in straight line driving slower than a half blind old woman._ Embarrassing._

"I suppose." Loki mumbled and watched as Tony cut off a police car. It didn't follow. Of course not, the cop would need balls of steel to mess with a SHIELD agent on a warpath. "Can I ask you something, Stark?"

"Mmm? What's on your mind, Darling?" He asked nonchalantly. "Unless you want to know what I'm smoking to have come up with this crazy ass plan, because honestly I don't know. I mean, I am _awesome_ at making bad decisions, but this one is totally the worst yet. I mean shit, stealing a SHIELD cruiser? Hot damn I've really outdone myself. ...Except maybe for that time I was drunk enough to let Clint talk me into thinking that going to a gay bar in drag was a good idea." In spite of himself, Loki laughed. It was a real laugh, not like the hollow maniacal sound that echoed through the dungeons of Asgard when laughter was preferable to tears.

"I convinced Thor to do something very similar once. Though, I am certain you made a better woman than he." Loki commented. Tony almost ran off the side of the road as he fell into hysterics at the mental image of Thor in drag. Oh man, someone needed to photoshop that shit. ...Since it was pretty much impossible to get the thunderer drunk on 'Midgardian swill' and there was no way he'd do it sober.

"I wanted to ask what you intended to do once we apprehend Doom." Loki added more seriously.

"Honestly, I don't know. I've had it up to here with Fury's little super secret boyband and Pepper's nagging. Maybe I need a vacation. And a real relationship. I'm getting sick of meaningless sex. I know, I can't believe I'm saying that. Is it time for Ragnarok? " Tony said thoughtfully.

"No, it is not. Nor can I believe that such a sentimental statement just came out of your mouth." Loki responded thoughtfully. He glanced at Stark out of the corner of his eye as he drove. He was attractive, there was no arguing with that. He was masculine, but not in the way that the Aesir preferred. Loki shook his head and turned his gaze to the road in front of them, those thoughts would get him nowhere. He hated Stark and Stark hated him right back. ...But did he hate Stark? He was finding it hard to even argue with him lately. Any attempt at getting under the mortal's skin to get rise out of him had been wholly half-hearted.

* * *

"We should stop them." Clint muttered as they listened to Tony and Loki talk about leaving. Natasha lay in the bed next to him. She rolled over and ignored him.

"We haven't gotten any sleep since this mess started. We can go after them later. They won't get far." She replied and snuggled into the blankets. Clint didn't bother arguing, he knew he wouldn't win. Natasha was right, anyway. They wouldn't get far. If they did, they'd find them anyway.

A few hours later, they left the room intending to track down Stark and his pet demigod. Clint left the door key on the table and followed Natasha in the late afternoon sunlight. He caught sight of her face, and his relatively cheerful mood vanished. She looked ready to kill something, and that was never good.

"What?" He asked, stretching. His back was horribly stiff from the cheap motel mattress and sitting in the cruiser for a week. Wordlessly, she pointed to where the car was parked. Clint's eyes darted in the direction. There was no car.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me." He moaned and shook his head.

"Call Fury." Natasha spat. "I'm done with this shit. If he _still_ doesn't want us to apprehend them, there's no point following them around at this point."

"Yeah, I know." Clint groused and dug out his cellphone. "Fuck it, let's just kill Stark. Actually, you get Stark, Loki's mine." He hissed and handed Natasha the phone. Her eyebrows shot up as she examined the blank screen and a snarky text message from Stark thanking them for the car. She tried to dial headquarters, but the phone wouldn't let her.

"He hacked it through the car's computer." She reasoned, and threw the smartphone against the wall as hard as she could. It shattered into at least a hundred pieces. "He's buying time."

"Yeah, and I'd say he actually managed it this time. Come on Nat, you didn't see this coming." The archer said dismally. She huffed in annoyance and started walking toward the motel office to use the payphone there. Clint smirked, knowing that was as close to a yes as he was going to get.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Confession**

* * *

The trip to Malibu was both uneventful and completed in record time. Once they came across another SHIELD cruiser, but Tony evaded it easily when the driver tried to follow them. Tony and Loki didn't even have another little self-hate induced pissing contest this time. Though, that isn't saying they didn't argue.

On the second afternoon, they had to stop for food. Loki would have no part of eating at the McDonald's, and Tony reamed him out for being too picky. They spent several hours in a state of passive-aggressive conflict, both of them contemplating how best to get a rise out of the other. Eventually Loki just gave up and stared out the window in irritation as Tony babbled incessantly about how their whole situation sucked, and how much of a little bitch Loki was.

Just as Loki was about to make good on one of his many death threats, they passed the sign welcoming visitors to Malibu.

"What do you think, Rudolph? If I weren't guilty of hundreds of counts of speeding and reckless driving, I'd apply for a world record for how fast we got all the way here." Tony quipped as his home city came into view. Loki continued ignoring him. _I hope you have an actual plan, however in light of your previous record it does not appear likely._ He thought to himself, not wanting to talk to Stark in case he started ranting again. All things considered, he was willing to bet Stark was no less dangerous of a driver when drunk than while he was sober.

In spite of his better judgment, Tony pulled right up to his mansion and parked in the garage attached to his workshop after using the car's computer to get access to Jarvis. The thought crossed Tony's mind to just call up Fury and hand Loki over, but something told him it wouldn't be enough to clear his own record. Whether or not he even deserved said criminal record was debatable, but he doubted Fury really cared. Loki was right about one thing, and that was that he had to keep his tech out of SHIELD's hands. It would ruin everything he'd worked for if Fury used it to develop weapons.

Loki finally opened his mouth and asked Tony if he was literally out of his mind. As far as the trickster could tell, they were walking right into SHIELD's hands. But that was the beauty of Tony's plan – or lack thereof. They wouldn't expect him to do something like this. Well, maybe they would. But they'd also probably expect an open bar and the entire city of Malibu to have an invitation. Still, the mansion seemed completely deserted.

"Sir, Miss Potts has refused access to your suits and workshop to both SHIELD and the United Nations. Everything is as you have left it." The AI explained as Tony and Loki got out of the car. They both looked around quickly. Tony saw no one and nothing out of place. Loki confirmed this when he said that he could only sense one human presence upstairs somewhere. Pepper, Tony assumed. He hoped she hadn't found some way to override Jarvis' protocols and find out that he was in the building. But, the lack of incensed screaming about 'where the hell were you?', 'I thought you were dead' and 'I was so worried I'll kill you myself, Tony!' gave him the sense that she had no idea. Still, time was of the essence.

The workshop really was just as he'd left it – cluttered and in a state of controlled chaos. When had he gotten so careless? This was a fire hazard and a half. But thinking about it, he came up with nothing because the reality was he'd done most of his work drunk out of his mind lately. Maybe it was the lack of alcohol that brought him to his senses, because something wasn't right.

"Jarvis, where is the spare arc reactor?" Tony said, the color draining out of his face as he looked at the empty case where he'd kept a back-up for the miniaturized reactor in his chest. Nervously, he tapped his fingertips against the one that was currently installed – the same one he'd made just after the palladium poisoning incident. Loki regarded him curiously, he wasn't sure what the device was actually for. He assumed it was a power-source for the armored suits he wore. But something in Stark's pained expression told him otherwise.

"In its case." The AI replied. "Shall I release the lock?"

"No, no. I don't need it." Tony replied.

Turning to Loki he said, "This is bad. Fury could easily use it to make weapons. God only knows what Doom would do with it."

"I honestly have no idea what you are talking about, Stark." The trickster responded dully. Tony sighed and started tossing some tools into the car's trunk. Loki got the hint and carried whatever Tony gave him. The Mark 42 suit, he packed in a collapsible case. If Loki hadn't known it was mechanics that operated it, he might have sworn it was magic as the suit dissembled itself into pieces and fit neatly in the red metal case.

"Jarvis, once I leave please tell Pepper that I'm alive, and I'm not the bad guy." Tony said to the AI once they'd packed what they would need.

"As you wish, Sir." He answered.

"Bye Jarvis, it'll be a while. Don't let anyone in the workshop, that includes Pepper." Tony said sadly and climbed into the car. Loki was already there waiting with his seat-belt buckled. "All right, Lokes. Let's get the hell out of here."

"This was too easy." Loki observed as they left the way they came with no sign of resistance. Tony heaved a sigh and drove, not really knowing where they were heading now. They'd have to just stay on the move and watch the news reports to try and get some information about Doom.

"I know. The thing is, I think SHIELD is just leaving us alone on purpose. I told Natasha and Clint that we're going after Doom. They're probably staying out of it so we can do their dirty work for them and then they'll swoop in and get all up in our guts once we're done." Tony replied. "Still, we should be careful. I have the suit now, so we can start getting somewhere. The tools and materials are just in case it gets damaged."

A few days later, they found themselves at another crappy motel in New Mexico in the middle of the desert. Again, it only had rooms with one bed. Tony lay on it staring at the yellowish ceiling that had once been white but now had chips of paint missing from it while Loki watched the news. There was nothing new, except that Loki's name was never mentioned. That explained the lack of security. SHIELD must had stood down for some reason. _Yeah, so we can do their jobs for them even though they want our heads, _Tony thought dismally.

It was a Sunday afternoon, and had officially been three weeks since Stark Tower was destroyed. Three weeks of being stuck with Loki, and neither had attempted to murder the other. Tony's cold and severe concussion were old news, just like Doom's heist at the Metropolitan Museum. And damn, was Tony bored. Three weeks without alcohol had been hell at first, but slowly he was beginning to think a lot more clearly than he had in some time. At first, it shocked him, but eventually he realized that it was a _good _thing. And then there was also the issue of going three weeks without getting laid. A new record, honestly. And again, he didn't really care that much. No sex wasn't much different that meaningless intercourse in the end.

"Hey Buttercup, you never did tell me why you were stalking me." Tony noted, turning his head to face Loki who was sitting on the edge of the bed. He was wearing one of his pairs of black denim jeans with no shirt. He'd pulled his hair back with something and it was tied into a wavy ponytail. Tony hated to admit it, but he was wondering if Loki should have been the god of sex instead of mischief, because he was definitely hot enough. _Or sexy mischief, that's not a bad image. _Tony tried his damnedest not to stare at his perfect half-naked body. He'd be on a fast track to hell if the trickster thought he was attracted to him. Loki turned his back on the TV to look down at Tony with a frown. _The way he pouts could make Pepper jealous. Jesus._

"Would you prefer the answer you want to hear, or the real one?" Loki asked sounding oddly curious.

"Ok, how about both. Start with the one I want to hear?" Tony replied with a shrug and tossed aside the Newspaper that was still laying next to him. There hadn't been anything interesting in there, either. Just an article about some Girl Scouts in New Jersey selling cookies outside of a medical marijuana clinic, which was fucking brilliant.

"Fine. I was planning to murder you in the most painful way imaginable. Possibly by strangling you with your own entrails while I made your ex-girlfiend that you still pine after watch me do it. Though I might have ripped your tongue out too, because you _never_ shut up." Loki answered his eyes meeting Tony's. His lips curled into a slight smile. He would never do that, Tony could tell by the way he said it. Every last word was dripping with sarcasm, and if Tony Stark knew anything, it was sarcasm.

"Ok, that isn't disgusting or disturbing in the slightest. Not at all. And I'm kind of curious why you think I would _want _to hear that. Besides, there's always the option of certain _actives_ that might keep me from talking... Option two?" Tony responded, deciding to give the newspaper another quick once-over. Loki didn't talk at first, if anything he looked a little uncomfortable. Tony figured he'd just ignore it. He'd learned very fast that Loki not only does what he wants, but says what he wants. Meaning, if he didn't want to talk about it, than he wouldn't and he couldn't make him. It really was that simple. But then, Tony was the same way. The similarities in their personalities had become steadily more evident as they traveled together.

"I did it because I was _worried_ about you. I was one of the waitresses at the cafe where Pepper ended her relationship with you. I saw how lost you looked. I was afraid you would do something stupid. It turns out that it was a good decision since no one else seemed to care much. They noticed you weren't yourself, but they weren't exactly doing anything about it." The trickster replied, staring at the TV and not daring to look at Tony. Tony did notice that it was the fist time he'd referred to Pepper by her name and not 'that she-mortal you are infatuated with' or some such nonsense.

"Why? Did you feel bad about throwing me through a window or something?" Tony asked, and sat up so he could see Loki's face.

"That is the problem, I do not really know why." Loki muttered and stood up to look out the window, pointedly avoiding Tony's scrutiny. "Just that it felt like the right thing to do."

"You're such an asshole. You know that." That got Loki's attention he turned around, looking like he was about to rip Tony a new one, but he kept talking before the trickster had the chance. "I mean, you're an asshole, yeah. But you're not evil. Like with the trucker that tried rob me, you could have just killed him, but you didn't. Getting to know you, I can't imagine you doing any of the stuff you did during your little invasion. It was just too sloppy – you're smarter than that. I guess what I'm saying is that I finally believe what you said about not being in your right mind. I do really hope you're not messing with me, because I am pretty sure you can manage that if you wanted to." The anger in Loki's eyes shifted to pain and he finally looked at Tony.

"When the green beast used my face to redecorate your tower, it broke the spell that the scepter had over me. That was why I didn't resist in the end. All I cold think of was '_what have I done?_'." Loki said, his face completely blank of any emotion. "But no one else has believed that. Of course, Thor was the only one who did. Not that it mattered. He's an imbecile. He is kind and selfless, yes. But by the Norns, he is an _idiot._"

"His name's Bruce, not 'the green beast', though he might laugh if he heard that. And don't tell him I said it, but yeah, Thor's kind of... Well, his muscles outweigh his brains. He's a good friend, though. And he never gave up on you." Tony said and smiled disarmingly. "Give him some credit, twelve percent at least. An argument might be made for fifteen if you think he could help us find Doctor Douche."

Loki nodded and stared out the window in silence for a while before he finally spoke. "Heimdall, please send Thor. And tell the queen that the mission has been compromised so long as SHIELD is watching me."

They heard the thunder before they saw the storm that came with it. It was so intense that the entire building was shaking. Disgustedly, Tony wiped dust that had fallen from the decaying ceiling off of his black t-shirt and shook it out of his hair like a dog might. Loki made a face, but ignored it. They both went outside and hopped in the stolen SHIELD cruiser. Loki could tell from the light of the Bifrost that was visible on the horizon where Thor would appear. Tony followed his directions while the downpour started. He was forced to drive slowly on the dirt road leading away from the motel and into an open expanse of desert. The rain was so driven, he could barely see the path in front of him.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:** Well, that escalated quickly.

* * *

They found Thor in the middle of a huge expanse of desert near the motel. Tony didn't really want to find how far it went; the car was running low on gas and the whole situation had put something of a damper on any kind of wanderlust. Once the rain and lightening stopped, they got out of the SHIELD cruiser and ran over to where Thor was standing in the center of the bifrost point. He looked tired, if anything. If a demigod really _got _tired. Tony had noticed that so far, Loki had not shown any signs of fatigue in spite of a severe lack of sleep.

"Man of Iron?" Thor asked curiously, shaking rainwater from his long blonde hair. "Why are you here?"

"I, uh... It's a long story. We need your help, Point Break." Tony answered.

"We?" His blue eyes darted to Loki who had intentionally placed himself behind Tony. "You are working together, brother? Mother explained your mission, Loki, but I was not expecting this! It is so good to see you not only doing good deeds but working alongside a trusted friend!" Loki gagged theatrically as Thor rushed past Tony in a blur and smothered him in the bear hug to end all bear hugs. Tony unsuccessfully tried not to laugh. Loki glared at him as if he felt betrayed by Tony's outburst.

"Very well. I will assist you." Thor announced, not even giving the situation the slightest bit of thought. If, for that matter, he even knew what they needed help with.

"I should warn you, SHIELD wants me dead." Tony said miserably. "They'll probably want you too if you get involved." The blonde regarded him silently for a moment and shrugged nonchalantly.

"They did, yes I remember that. But they do not any longer. They are aware of Loki's reason for being here now." Thor told them. "I informed them personally. And threatened cutting off relations with Asgard if they refused to leave him alone."

"I doubt they are so willing to forgive me." Loki spat and glared at him. His hair was sticking up all over the place from Thor ruffling it. Tony couldn't help it, he thought the awkward bromance they had going on was pretty cute.

"Alas, no they are not. But Man of Fury himself has agreed not interfere unless you cause any harm." Thor said brightly.

Tony, for once, managed to bite his tongue and not bring up the fact that SHIELD probably just wanted them to do their dirty work. Right now, he didn't give a shit. He just wanted to find Doctor Doom and beat him senseless for ruining New York's monument to his gargantuan ego. Either way, Thor was sure to be useful, even if he wasn't the sharpest sword in the armory. All they had to do was tell him what to smash, after all.

Eventually, they all headed back to the motel and settled into the room some time well past nightfall. Tony was sprawled across the bed with Loki sitting at the bottom reading a magazine he'd found under the seat in the car. Thor was seated at the table watching some moronic children's cartoon about talking animals with far too much interest for someone his age. Boredly, Tony twirled a screwdriver he'd taken from his workshop between his fingers. In spite of the apparent calm, the atmosphere was anything but relaxed. Thor was obviously afraid he'd piss Loki off and Loki was blatantly just waiting for the right opportunity to present itself. In other words, the whole situation was like a puddle of gasoline just waiting for someone to drop a match.

Tony glanced at the cover of the magazine Loki was reading and the screwdriver fell to the floor with a soft thud.

"Holy shit, Bambi are you actually reading that?" Tony asked and would have fallen over laughing if he weren't already laying in the bed. Loki was reading a Playboy. A fucking _Playboy. _It didn't get any more ridiculous than that.

"I know how to read, Stark. Though I question the intellectual value of it. These women are not particularly attractive, either." He replied and threw it in the general direction of the wastepaper basket near Thor. It landed with the cover facing up near Thor's feet. The thunderer looked at it curiously and his cheeks turned bright red.

"When have you _ever_ found women attractive, brother? Other than turning yourself into one, I mean." Thor asked bluntly. Loki glared at him disgustedly. Tony gave Loki a questioning glance but he ignored it as usual.

"I am going outside." Loki huffed and left the room, slamming the door behind him. Tony raised his eyebrows and sat up.

"I'm guessing that hit a sore spot? He's way too touchy." Tony complained.

"Aye, I suppose I spoke without thinking. Loki's tendency to be rather... womanish was not looked upon with favor by my fellow Aesir." Thor explained. "He suffered much grief because of it. Though, it mostly was because of his study of magic. Magic is considered to be a woman's art. I do not believe anyone but our mother and I knew of his actual preference to bed men, or his ability to shapeshift into a female. If anyone else knew, it would have destroyed his reputation as a prince of Asgard."

Tony wasn't going to lie to himself, he'd seen that one coming a mile away. He had been pretty sure Loki was checking out Clint's ass out when he and Natasha left them back at the other motel in Texas. That really didn't bear thinking about, considering the mind control thing. Even if the demigod had no actual solid memories of enslaving Clint.

Still, Tony could imagine the Aesir did more than simply frown Loki's preferences, judging by his reaction to Thor's seemingly harmless comment.

"I think he fancies you, Man of Iron." That snapped Tony out of train of thought immediately. He stared at Thor dumbly.

"What? No." He said, shaking his head. He could imagine it, though. Why else was he watching over him? The trickster said himself that it was because he was worried. It did make sense. He'd had a hard time accepting the idea of Loki actually caring about what happened to him, but it seemed more and more likely the more he thought about it.

_Well slap my ass and call me sally._

"Yes, I know the way that he looks at you." Thor said with a wink. "Perhaps it would do him some good."

"Woah, no. I mean. I don't... Guys aren't my sort of thing." It was a bad excuse. Tony had nothing against the idea of bisexuality; he'd try anything once when it came to sex. He just hadn't run across a man he actually wanted to fuck that would be worth questioning his sexual preferences for. And this was... Well, it was _Loki_. That had to be a bad idea, especially considering he had _some _instincts for self preservation.

Thor looked like a kicked puppy, and Tony surprisingly felt more than a little guilty.

"I – I'll think about it, all right. Maybe when I'm sure he won't disembowel me for being an incorrigible whore that will shamelessly stick my cock into anything that's warm. ...Because I'm pretty sure that's his opinion of me in sexual terms." He babbled. He'd do anything to make Thor stop staring at him so hopefully with those big, watery blue eyes. At least Tony could admit that if he somehow got over the fact that it was Loki, he wouldn't have any problem at all with it. He'd never be to tell himself he didn't think the god was hotter than all hell.

"He trusts you." Thor insisted. "I hate to say this, but you would probably be dead or walking home alone by now if he did not. He enjoys your company, he just does not wish to voice such sentiments." Tony wanted to gag, really. But Thor was probably right, on all counts. He was Loki's brother after all. Odds were he knew the trickster better than anyone else. Loki also definitely did _not _seem like the sentimental or romantic type in the slightest. That, Tony could agree with.

"I'll take your word for it, big guy." Tony said flippantly and Thor beamed at him triumphantly. He saw the bone-crushing bear hug a mile away and just managed to dodge it. "I'll tell you what. You need somewhere to sleep. I'll rent you your own room." Tony suggested and managed to slink out the door into the cool night air. With a sigh, he flopped back against the dirty concrete wall and closed his eyes while he tried to think of some way to make Thor forget that whole conversation had ever happened. Alcohol was the first idea, obviously, but he'd have to buy out the whole liquor store just to get Thor tipsy. That, and he wasn't sure he wanted the temptation of getting drunk himself. He felt a lot better both physically and mentally once he'd managed to shut out the mindless need for it. He opened his eyes and saw Loki sitting on a guard rail across the parking lot watching the road below. The motel was on top of a small plateau, so Loki's spot offered a good view of the surrounding area. ...Not that there was much to look at aside from sand and some sparse vegetation.

Well, there was also always the option of being Tony fucking Stark and making what could have been the most dumbass decision of his entire life.

_Yeah, going with that._

"Hey, Darling. You all right?" Tony said and pulled himself up to sit next to the demigod. _Act all concerned and shit, that has to work, right?_ Loki ignored him. Tony had to admit, the guy had some seriously high functioning selective hearing. Tony muttered a string of curses under his breath. This was harder than trying to get into that duke's wife's pants, and all he was trying to do this time was not be an asshole. That, and maybe turn his and Loki's train wreck of an unwilling partnership into an actual friendship. Maybe Thor was right, maybe all he needed was a hug. Well, probably more than that but it would be a start. ...Because Tony was relatively certain Loki wasn't actually a psychotic super villain, and he'd be a hell of a lot more useful on their side.

When Loki continued ignoring him, Tony silently watched a single car drive past. His gaze shifted to the horizon, where he could nothing but arid desert cloaked in darkness. A small town was visible in the distance in the other direction. And here he'd thought Arkansas was bumfuck nowhere.

"If it's any consolation, that wasn't my wank material. I'd rather be doing it than looking at crappy pictures all by myself and jerking off in a bathroom stall on the helicarrier because I couldn't actually get laid. Please tell me there weren't any pages stuck together." Tony said nonchalantly. Loki snorted and Tony saw the hint of a smile on his lips. For being the god of lies, he wasn't that hard to read. Either that, or the engineer was finally starting to figure out how his mind worked. Tony watched another car drive by as he waited for a response.

"Stark, are you trying to woo me? You are failing. Miserably." Loki asked, giving him a withering stare that was equal parts mischievous, annoyed and lustful. Tony fidgeted uncomfortably. Loki had to admit that he found Stark's attempts to win him over rather endearing, if not completely pathetic.

"Uh, no. Trying to make nice and be friends because I've been a real jerk to you. Maybe wooing in the future if we survive. Maybe. I'm not good at romantic shit. It's usually sex first, ask questions later if Pepper doesn't manage to kick her out before I wake up. But I'm kind of tired of meaningless trysts I'm too drunk to remember." Tony settled on as that an explanation. It was true. Mostly.

"Also, this is the 21st century. Nobody says 'wooing' anymore. Anyway, we're a lot alike. I understand you more than you might think." Again, Loki acted as if he simply didn't exist and just stared out toward the open expanse of desert. Tony folded his arms across his chest and bit his lip to keep from chattering like a retarded squirrel with ADD. He knew how much it pissed Loki off when he talked too much and this was _not _the time for it.

"You think you understand me? How adorable and highly unlikely." He replied bitterly.

"You're not making this easy for me."

"You said it yourself – I am an asshole." Loki retorted. Yeah, all right, he'd walked right into that one.

"You are. Totally. But you know what? So am I. Great, we admit it. That's the first step to fixing it. Now let's kiss and make up like good kids." Tony said with a grin that was as fake as the boobs in the Playboy magazine. He knew this was going nowhere. If Thor had been right, Loki wouldn't open up about any of it until he felt like it. Which could very well be never. Maybe that was better. Tony was pretty sure the whole thing was an epically bad idea. Thor had probably misjudged Loki's behavior entirely.

"Sometimes one must run before they walk." Loki said, finally turning to face Tony. "Or as you put it, have sex first and ask questions later. After all, a prospective mate can have a wonderful personality, but that means absolutely nothing if they are incompatible in the bedchamber. However I suppose there would need to be quite a bit of compromise on the subject of personalities where we are concerned." The statement left absolutely no doubt to its implications. Tony noticed his mouth was hanging open and he he shut it before awkwardly staring at him in a stunned silence. _Well, wasn't expecting that. _

Loki watched him carefully, wondering how he would respond.

"I'll go rent Thor his own room. On the other side of the building." Tony said breathlessly. The smile that Loki gave him was both terrifying and erotic. Somehow, it went straight to his groin, even though a million and one reasons for this all being a seriously bad decision were racing through his mind.

_Yup, totally a mistake. _

_I hope I can walk in the morning._

_Everyone I know is going to disown me._

_Fuck it. I'm doing this._

"I hope you are aware that you are mentally unprepared to be exposed to my level of perversion." Loki said in a serious tone that caught Tony completely off guard as the trickster hopped off the guard rail behind him. "Anyway, I will be waiting for you, _Anthony_." He said 'Anthony' with his voice full of suggestive undertones and Tony could swear to God his heart skipped a beat. Before Tony could answer, Loki was already _strutting _back to their room. Damn, he really knew what he was doing – there was no denying that. Tony had a nasty feeling he was not going to come out of this on top, in any way, shape or form.

_Jesus fucking Christ... What the shit did I get myself into this time?_

* * *

**Notes:** Oh my, now we're getting somewhere, yes? ^_~


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes:** This chapter is kind of long, but man I'd be a jerk to split it up, haha.

**Warning:** This chapter contains light BDSM/bondage and m/m sexual content. You might want some tissues or something because this is totally NSFW!

* * *

**Chapter 13: Your Safeword is Magpie**

* * *

Loki strolled back into the motel room like he owned the place. He shot Thor a glare that could have made hell freeze over and settled into the chair across from him. The thunderer watched him warily, knowing full-well that saying the wrong thing when he was like this could lead to them having an argument that would level the small motel. ...And that was being optimistic.

"What did you tell him?" Loki asked simply. There was no anger in the words, only a calm curiosity. Thor considered his words very carefully before speaking.

"That I thought you might fancy him." Thor replied. "It looked that way, brother. And I know Man of Iron to be very open-minded about such subjects." Loki stared at him, scrutinizing him before nodding silently.

"I want you to know that sometimes I love you as much as I utterly despise you. Also, if anyone should ever ask, I will deny that statement until my dying breath." The trickster replied. Thor's face, full of carefully guarded emotion, broke into a grin.

"I am glad to be of help. ...And to see some of the Loki I know back again." Thor said, looking like he might start crying from all the disgusting sentiment of it all. Loki rolled his eyes as Stark entered the room. He looked more than a bit out of his element as he handed Thor a key and gave him directions to find his room. ...On the total opposite end of the motel. He wanted to laugh at that. Though, perhaps Stark didn't want Thor hearing him screaming his little brother's name.

Loki watched almost preditorily as he shut the door behind the thunderer and let out a breath he probably didn't know he was holding.

"I'll be honest here, I was expecting some kind of unbearably awkward comment from Thor. Even he can't be that naïve." He said, triple checking to make sure the door was locked and shut all the way. Loki could almost feel his apprehension and licked his lips in anticipation.

_ This is going to be fun._

"He knows better, believe me." Loki purred. "Now cease that needless chatter and remove your clothing." He commanded. That caught Tony by surprise, usually he was the one giving that particular order. _Well, here goes nothing, _Tony thought as he began unbuttoning his shirt. He might as well be a tease and take his sweet time. Loki didn't seem to care either way and watched him intently. The heated gaze the god was giving him did things to him that he never would have imagined. He was already half hard and Loki hadn't even touched him.

Loki got up and grabbed Tony's hands that were fumbling with a shirt button that didn't want to come undone.

"Stark, I remember you telling me that I would never come out on top." Loki leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "I would like to inform you that in this, I will. No arguments. If you please me, you will _earn _that right." Tony swallowed hard and nodded, his eyes wide. He wanted to say he didn't like where this was going, but that would be a giant pile of bullshit. The feeling of not being the one in control was exhilarating. The sense of danger was incredibly enticing. He knew he should know better by now, but nothing short of Nick Fury bursting in the room with a SHIELD hit team with their guns blazing was going to stop him.

"Understood." He said when he found his voice. "Just uh, don't call me 'Stark'."

"If it pleases you, _Anthony._" He hated being called Anthony, yet there was nothing sexier on earth than the way the name rolled off Loki's tongue. Yeah, it did please him. A _lot.  
_

"You are officially the only person who is ever allowed to call me that." Tony said, smirking.

Impatiently, Loki embedded his fingers in Tony's hair and urged him forward so that their lips met in tentative kiss. It was gentle at first, and he melted into it as Loki's tongue insistently parted his lips. Tony was pretty damn sure he'd never been kissed like that before. It was like Loki was trying to outright devour him. When their lips parted, he gasped for breath and opened his eyes. Yeah, he could get used to this. It wasn't like kissing a woman at all. It was so much better, almost animalistic. He couldn't even try to tell himself that it was sex deprivation talking, because he knew it wasn't. And he wanted _more._

"You are taking too long." Loki purred and snapped his fingers. Tony made an undignified squeaking sound as his clothes vanished into thin air and appeared neatly folded on one of the chairs by the table. Loki smiled wickedly and ruffled his hair like he was a pet dog. "Much better."

"You used magic..." Tony began, but was silenced by the tip of Loki's index finger pressed lightly against his lips in a gesture to be quiet. He wondered if Loki was into BDSM. He'd always kind of wanted to try a few things, but refused to be anything but dominate with a woman. Loki, on the other hand, had already quite efficiently put him in his place without needing to tie him to anything. All it took was a promise of being on top if he behaved, and that finger silencing him. _Interesting._

"Thor activated the Bifrost. They know where we are. There is no point in not using it." Loki explained. _Well, yeah. Probably should have known that, _Tony thought and felt his cheeks redden at the sight of Loki openly scrutinizing his already fully hard assets. "Excited, are we?" He asked and nipped Tony's bottom lip.

"Apparently. Though it's more like a mixture of excited and terrified you're going to tie me to a chair with something and leave me there. Not that I'm opposed to being tied to the chair." Tony quipped and reached around Loki to squeeze his firm buttocks. In response, he pressed himself against Tony so his clothed erection rubbed against Tony's bare thigh.

"That can be arranged, I would rather enjoy watching you squirm." The trickster replied and licked his lips.

"We don't have any rope." Tony pointed out.

"I am a sorcerer." Loki said and rolled his eyes. _Ah yes, there is that..._ "Get in the chair, Anthony." Loki ordered. Tony swallowed nervously thinking of all the reasons this was a bad idea. He kind of doubted Loki would do anything if he refused, but part of him wanted to let go of the reigns - even if just this once.

_To hell with it_.

He sat in the chair and tried not to think of just how bad of an idea it was as Loki walked around him and bound his wrists behind him. He tried experimentally to move, but unlike rope the weightless invisible bindings had no give when he tugged against them. It was definitely strange, considering the only bit of the magic he could actually feel was a slight tingling around his wrists and ankles. Tony was about to ask Loki how it worked when the trickster bent down and nibbled on his earlobe. On reflex, he tried to pull away, but he could barely move an inch.

"Your safeword is 'magpie'." Loki whispered in Tony's ear. Tony's eyes widened in shock that Loki knew Midgardian bondage etiquette, and terror because he'd really done it this time. "I am going to watch the news. You will be a good pet and sit there and not make a sound unless I tell you to."

"But –" Tony began, but was silenced again by Loki's finger pressed against his lips. And damn if he didn't shut right up.

"Not a sound." The words were spoken softly as one might speak to a frightened child, but Tony would have to be oblivious not to notice the menacing undertone. It was an unspoken promise that if he said another word, he was going to get his ass handed to him. He nodded to show that he understood. If Tony had any sense, it might have scared the crap out of him, instead he was more turned on than ever.

Loki gave Tony an absolutely shit eating grin and cupped his balls in his hand. He squeezed hard, and Tony bit his lip to keep from letting out a very un-manly whimper. Because he was _not_ going to make a sound.

"You learn fast." The trickster drawled and walked over to the bed, after throwing his clothes in a pile on the floor at Tony's feet. Loki was sprawled across the bed, butt ass naked, and Tony couldn't even see his feet. Desperately, he tried to turn a bit to get a proper look and the chair leaned dangerously. He ceased his attempts to look immediately; somehow he knew Loki would just leave him there if the chair toppled over with him in it. Still, trying to imagine it was playing havoc on his mind. He closed his eyes and listened to the news. Nothing important.

_Who the hell actually cares about gas prices anymore? It never gets any cheaper. _

After half an hour of sitting in the chair with his back to the naked demigod, Tony thought he was going to lose it. He was still very much aroused, yet bored out of his mind at the same time. Bored was never a good thing for Tony. He made another attempt to turn around and get a proper look. If he just carefully shuffled his weight he could slide the chair around. There he could see –

"Damn it!" He hissed as the chair lost balance and fell over with a thud. He'd landed in Loki's clothes so there was no pain from falling over, but it was still humiliating. The pile of discarded clothing was a very prominent reminder that he _still_ hadn't seen Loki, yet he was surely watching him with interest.

_Ha, watching the news my ass. Bastard._

"You are a very, very naughty pet. I said not a sound." Tony could just imagine the maniac glint in his eyes and fought the urge to just say fuck it and try to rut against the carpet. "I should punish you… Do you think you should be punished?"

"Not especially, I was just trying to see your glorious penis." Tony retorted. _Glorious penis… What the hell? Where did _that _come from?_

"Oh, but you broke the rules." Loki drawled. Staying out of Tony's line of sight, he knelt down behind him and wrapped his hand delicately around Tony's cock. His breath hitched and Loki sucked a spot near the base of his neck. _Not a sound, not a sound, not a – _

"Jesus Christ! Urgh!" Tony cried more in surprise than pain when Loki suddenly bit down on the patch of skin he'd been sucking at. It was hard enough to bruise, but not enough to draw blood. Either way, it was going to leave a mark and both of them knew it. Hopefully Thor wouldn't ask.

"Noisy." Loki muttered. Tony bit his lip, he was in for it now. Just what the hell had he gotten himself into and what fucked up part of his mind was enjoying this so much? Loki's hand that was still wrapped around his throbbing member squeezed before letting go. Tony bit back a desperate plea to stop teasing him. He felt the vibration of Loki's footsteps as he walked away, over to where Tony's clothes were on the unused chair. He _finally _got a good of view the gods utterly perfect ass as he bent over slightly and pulled the belt out of Tony's pants. _Oh shit. Not the belt. Oh God help me. _

"Do you remember the safeword, Anthony?" Loki drawled as he ran his fingers across the supple braided leather. It would suffice. "I give you permission to speak."

"Uh, magpie? That was it, right? Please tell me you aren't going to do what I think you are with that." Tony babbled as quickly as he could get the words out of his mouth. Loki turned around at last, and gave Tony a smile so sinister that no words needed to be said. He swallowed nervously and did his damnedest not to let Loki see how much it freaked him out. But it was kind of hard to panic when he set eyes on Loki's naked body. It was better than he'd imagined, and he was as hard as a rock. Tony wasn't sure to feel smug about putting him in such a state, or mortified because he had a boner from leaving him tied to a chair naked and was about to beat the shit out of him. Though, somehow he knew Loki wouldn't if he told him not to.

"I will stop if you want me to." The trickster said calmly. "Or if the pain is too much."

"I probably do deserve a beating. More than one, actually. You know, all things considered." Tony mumbled. Loki took it as consent and released the magic binding Tony to the chair which he put back upright. Experimentally, Tony sat up and rubbed at his hands that had gone slightly numb from lack of circulation.

"Kneel." Loki said and grabbed a fistful of his hair and forced him to knees. Tony obeyed with a grunt. "Hold onto the chair. And do not make a sound while I do this." Wordlessly, Tony gripped the edges of the chair so tightly his knuckles turned white. He listened intently for any indication that Loki was about to get to work while he stood over him wrapping the belt around itself to make it easier to hold. He was probably going to regret this, but he decided to trust Loki not to go overboard. Somehow, he knew it was what the god needed. Trust. Loki needed someone to trust him, someone he could trust as well. Tony knew that would heal more emotional wounds than any amount of alcohol and meaningless sex. And surprisingly enough, he wanted to help Loki. He knew what it felt like to hit rock bottom with nowhere left to run.

Tony needed this too, as scary as that thought was. ...Because he just didn't know how to trust others anymore after what Obediah had done. Maybe what had seemed like monumentally stupid decision would be something that was actually good for him.

Besides, he'd never truly been disciplined in his life. Maybe if he had Loki's displeasure to deal with for being an idiot, he would think before he did something stupid in the future.

The first strike was more surprising than painful. _Trust him, _Tony reminded himself as the second fell with considerably more force. He gasped quietly and let the chair support his weight as Loki landed another hard strike. He felt tears sting at the corner of his eyes by the tenth time. He could almost see the angry red welts that must be forming on his abused backside. It was the fifteenth that sent Tony over the edge. It was vicious in design and landed in spot where a dark purplish bruise was already forming. The force of it caused the engineer to lose his grip on the chair and hiss in pain. Shaking, he pulled himself back up. _Trust him… _He heard the whoosh of air as Loki brought the belt down harder than before, and braced himself. Stars exploded in Tony's vision and a single tear streaked down his cheek.

"Magpie!" He grunted as it landed and his grip on the chair slipped. He half expected Loki to laugh at him or something, instead he caught him before he hit the floor and pulled him snugly against him. Tony struggled to remember how to breath as he rested his face against Loki's chest and the god ran his fingers through his hair comfortingly. There were two thoughts in his mind: somehow he was still hard as hell, and Loki smelled amazing – like wood smoke and a crisp winter breeze. But there was something else. It was hard to describe, but his heart felt lighter, like a weight that he hadn't even known he had been bearing had been lifted.

"Relax, Anthony." He did, and sighed quietly as Loki continued to run his fingers though his hair. "You've done well, my pet. You have earned your reward." Loki purred and stood, carrying Tony as effortlessly as a bag of potatoes. Sometimes he forgot about the superhuman strength Loki possessed. He must have been exercising no small amount of self-control with the beating he gave him. That thought sent shivers down his spine. It would be so easy for Loki to have killed him if he'd wanted to and allowing himself to be in such a vulnerable position was pure idiocy.

Tony felt the bed beneath him, and the weight of Loki above him as the god laid him down carefully. He claimed Tony's lips in a gentle kiss, loving the way his goatee tickled him, and straddled his hips so that their erections touched. He noticed a tear streaking down Tony's cheek and brushed it away gently with his finger.

He trailed butterfly kisses along Tony's collar bone and gently sucked at the spot he'd bitten before. Lightly, Loki rubbed his thumb over a nipple and licked the other teasingly. The engineer gasped and arched his hips up against Loki's involuntarily, earning him a husky, sharp intake of breath and a temporary break in the god's seemingly unshakable focus. Rebelliously, Tony reached up and ran his hands along Loki's lightly muscled abdomen. It was nothing like being with a woman, and he was amazed how much he was loving every moment of it. Loki rolled him over onto his stomach and nipped at the back of his neck.

Tony tensed slightly when he felt Loki prod gently at his entrance. He sensed it, and stroked Tony's straining cock as he pressed a little harder. Tony bit his lip until it drew blood and he could taste it in his mouth.

"Relax, Anthony." Loki said for the second time that night. _Trust him,_ Tony told himself and took a steadying breath. It wasn't that he was afraid really, it was just a new experience and he wasn't quite sure how to react. Well, that and he was seconds away from getting fucked by _Loki. _Where _had _his sense for self preservation gone, anyway?

Loki felt him relax and continued his ministrations, using the small bottle of hand lotion from the motel room bathroom as lube. He could use magic for that, but he disliked doing anything magical when it came to the actual act of sex. It felt wrong, like it didn't belong and it ruined the mood. Tony grunted as Loki pressed a finger all the way inside of him. It felt strange, but not painful. He breathed deeply as Loki explored a little further and he adjusted to the alien sensation.

"Ah, Loki!" He gasped as the god's finger brushed his prostate and a pleasure that he'd never experienced before exploded through him. Knowing he'd found the spot, Loki continually prodded it until Tony was a whimpering mess and he was sure he could take him without causing him any pain. He flipped Tony over onto his back and lifted his legs. Tony swallowed nervously and met his eyes as the god positioned himself at his entrance.

"Relax." Loki breathed and pushed forward. Tony moaned and let his head fall back against the pillow behind him as Loki slowly slid into him. Loki let him adjust to the feeling before he started to move in a gentle, measured pace. Tony gave himself over entirely to the sensation of Loki filling him. _How_ had he never done this? It was amazing. Especially the sharp contrast of pain and pleasure. Either way, the next time someone called him a masochist, he'd probably have a fit and laugh hysterically.

Tony was completely lost in the sensory overload as Loki's thrusts increased in speed. He choked on a moan as curly black locks of hair trailed across his chest.

"Don't -" Tony whispered and tensed as he felt slender fingers brush across the arc reactor in his chest. Loki looked down at him with a frown, his face bathed in the dim blue light. Ignoring Tony's reaction, he tapped the glass casing lightly.

"It feels like the Tesseract." He breathed and kissed Tony soothingly. The tension melted away and he felt himself fast approaching his climax as Loki moved at a fast, steady pace that someone who didn't have his godly stamina would never be able to maintain. A sharp gasp escaped Tony when Loki slid his hand between them and pumped his neglected cock. A few more measured thrusts later and something in him just snapped.

"Anthony..." Loki breathed as they rode out the orgasm together and Tony reveled in the sensation of the heat that exploded inside of him as Loki came. Slowly, Loki withdrew himself and collapsed on top of the engineer after wiping Tony's mess of his stomach with a corner of the bed sheet. Tony gathered him up his arms and kissed his forehead softly.

"Did... Did I hurt you?" Loki asked uncertainly, once some of his brain function returned.

"Definitely. But I'm pretty sure I had it coming. I needed that." Tony replied, momentarily stunned by the genuine concern in the demigod's voice. So he did have a caring side after all, but just like Tony he very rarely let anyone see it. Thor had been right all along. "It's more like a good hurt." He added and ruffled Loki's hair affectionately.

"You trusted me."

"I can do that sometimes. It isn't easy for me to trust people though, so don't make me regret it." The engineer replied. "Now _you _need to stop talking. You're ruining the mood, Buttercup." Loki chuckled and snuggled against him. Within minutes both of them fell soundly asleep.

* * *

Yes, I know, there's more than one safeword for different situations in real life BDSM. I just didn't think it was necessary to go into that much detail with this. :3


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: That was anticlimactic.**

* * *

Tony woke slowly to the sound of someone knocking on the door. That would be Pepper badgering him for oversleeping a press conference or some shit. He was vaguely aware of a warm body pressed against him. _Loki._ That meant that was Thor and not Pepper at all. He opened his eyes blearily and looked down at the god who had his face nuzzled under his chin. Sensing he was awake, Loki extricated himself from Tony and glanced meaningfully at the door. He was about to ask what Thor wanted when someone else spoke.

"Stark, I know you're in there and you better be decent because I'm done fucking around!" Clint. The color drained from Tony's face.

"Not decent! Not decent – don't!" Too late. Clint burst through the door with Natasha at his heels. At least the sight that greeted Clint had the benefit of making him drop his gun in shock. Even Natasha's eyes widened in disbelief. Loki buried his face against Tony's chest. He just could _not _deal with this right now. This was _Anthony's _problem. Not his.

"This isn't – Oh fuck it. This is _exactly_ what it looks like. What the hell do you two want now? Can't we just establish that we're not the bad guys?" Tony ranted. Clint looked away, his face redder than a tomato.

"We _did _establish that. We just thought something was wrong because we've been banging on the door for literally twenty minutes." Natasha groused. "Whatever. Get dressed and meet us in the Lobby. It's about Doom. And yes Stark, we knew where you were the whole time. Even in Malibu." She turned on her heel and left with Clint running to catch up with her. When the two spies were gone, and the door shut behind them, Tony let out the breath he was holding and tangled his fingers gently in Loki's hair.

"I guess that killed the mood for a possible encore." Tony complained. Loki chuckled and pushed himself up to kiss the inventor lightly on the lips.

"I unfortunately agree." The demigod commented and rolled over onto his back. He stretched and yawned languidly, still half wrapped in the sheets. He couldn't remember the last time he'd slept so deeply without being plagued by nightmares.

"You all right?" Tony asked, looking down on him from a half sitting position. Loki's eyes fell on the arc reactor. He carefully pressed his index finger against the center of it, feeling the energy that pulsed through it pass into his own body through the contact.

"What is this for? I thought at first it was to power your armor, but it must do something else for you to go so far as embedding it in your body." Loki asked, letting his hand drop to the bed beside him. Tony looked down at him uncertainly. He wasn't sure if he really wanted to talk about it, but trust seemed to be a pretty important theme in the strange relationship they were forming. ...And 'relationship' was definitely the word for it. _Jesus Christ, how the hell did that happen?_

"It keeps me alive." Tony said simply. "There is shrapnel in my body - tiny shards of metal. If they get into my heart, it'll kill me. This is basically a glorified electron magnet. The polarity keeps the shrapnel in place. It does power the suits, too. Well, partially."

"It feels like the Tesseract." Loki said for the second time. "Like magic. But you built this?"

"I did build it, yeah. It took three tries to get it right. The first two were doing just as good of a job killing me as they were keeping me alive. This one actually _was _based on the Tesseract and is made with an element that doesn't exist on earth. I had to artificially create it myself with a particle accelerator. In a way, it's like I have a bit of the Tesseract in me... I guess." Tony explained while Loki watched him intently. Curiously, he pressed his hands against Tony's chest on either side of the arc reactor. He felt a cool tingling sensation move through him, radiating from Loki's hands. The skin felt oddly hot when he removed them.

"I can see the metal shards." He observed. "It must be painful."

Tony shrugged nonchalantly, pretending not to be bothered. "Not really. Some days it's a little sore where the reactor itself is implanted, but I don't feel the shrapnel. I don't suppose you know some kind of space voodoo that could fix me?" Tony asked hopefully. Loki shook his head sadly.

"Not I, but I do know someone who might be able to in Alfheim." The demigod replied. "How did you come to be like this?"

With some trepidation, Tony launched into the story of his capture and imprisonment by the Ten Rings. He pulled his shirt over his head as he told Loki of being blown up by one of his own weapons. And how Obediah Stane, the man who had been like a father to him, paid to have him killed. He told the story of his escape in the Iron Man Mark 1 suit, after refusing to build weapons for the terrorists in spite of being tortured for weeks. It was with sadness that Tony spoke of Yinsen's death, and his promise not to waste the life he'd saved.

Loki's reaction shocked Tony. Instead of his usual cold indifference, he just threw his arms around the engineer and held him tightly. In spite of himself, Tony smiled and hugged him back. Damn, if he'd known that Loki was like a cuddly little puppy after sex, maybe he would have done it way sooner. It could have saved them from a ton pointless arguments.

"Come on, you. Get dressed. They'll think we're going at it again and that shit will be all over the internet. If it isn't already." Tony chided him gently. Loki smiled mischievously and ran his thumb across the very obvious bruise on Tony's neck where he'd bitten him.

"I think I will keep you." Loki murmured and kissed the spot softly. Tony shivered and recalled Loki's comment about a wonderful personality meaning nothing in a relationship if they weren't sexually compatible. And that was when he realized the _real_ reason and he and Pepper could never get their shit together. He loved her more than anything, he knew that. It wasn't her nagging or her refusal to accept him being Iron Man that made him push her away. It was the sex. ...Or lack thereof. Tony needed constant change, he needed new, exciting things to keep him interested. Just like his work, he needed constant evolution in all aspects of his life. Pepper had flat out refused to try anything even a little kinky. She was straight up vanilla and it disappointed him horribly. He sincerely doubted he would have that problem with Loki.

And as far as personalities were concerned... Yeah, so they fought constantly, but Tony had a feeling it was a defense mechanism more than anything. In time, he was sure he'd manage to shake the crazy cats out of the bag and they'd get along just fine. Loki obviously was smart and had an interest in science, if nothing else that was common ground – a place to start trying to figure him out.

"I'm not your pet." Tony muttered and shoved Loki's shirt over his head. Loki indignantly straightened it and pulled his hair back into a ponytail. Tony secretly hoped he wouldn't cut it off later; he rather liked it long.

"Perhaps not at the moment... But later, well, we shall see." He teased and headed for the door. Tony wordlessly followed, smiling like an idiot. He really was in over his head this time, but he wasn't sure it was such a bad thing. Loki was everything Pepper wasn't, and it was exhilarating. The realization that he was finally letting go hit him like a ton of bricks, and he felt like a bird that had finally broken free of a cage that was five sizes too small.

* * *

Thor sat a small table in the motel lobby eating a poptart with Clint and Natasha who were both staring into their styrofoam coffee cups as if the bitter liquid held the meaning of life. Thor watched them curiously and set the half-eaten strawberry poptart aside.

"You walked in without knocking, did you not?" He asked, smiling awkwardly. Clint groaned and banged his head against the dirty table that was probably older than he was. Natasha raised her eyebrows and nodded.

"I did warn you not to, friends." The thunderer said with a sheepish smile. Natasha ignored Clint, he should have known better. It didn't even require a closed door to walk in on Stark and some slut covered in whipped cream. Obviously, even Thor wasn't that naïve. Either that or he was used to it. For all they knew, Loki was no better than Tony. Actually, Natasha was willing to bet on that.

"At least Stark didn't try to deny it. Though, it is kind of a shame because I'm sure any excuse he could have come up with would have been hilarious." Natasha commented and picked at a croissant on a paper plate in front of her. She wasn't sure it looked entirely edible. Either way, seeing Tony naked in bed with Loki had neither surprised her nor particularly bothered her. She'd seen far worse on various espionage missions. And who was she to judge? Maybe it would do them both some good. She doubted Tony was stupid enough to cheat on someone who could easily kill him with his bare hands. And if Loki was invested in Tony, he would be that much less likely the screw them all over later on.

"To be completely honest, I don't think excuses would've been all that effective." Tony quipped, walking up behind them with Loki in tow. Tony was dressed in a pair of bluejeans with a worn ACDC t-shirt. Loki was wearing his usual black denim jeans and a dark green wifebeater. The god had a cup of coffee in his hands that he was eying warily.

"I mean, you'd have to be blind or a virgin to not know what was going on in there." Tony said and gingerly sat next to Clint who glared at him with a mixture of disgust and betrayal. "Right, so you said this little house call was about Doctor Douche?" He added, trying to not to wince from the pain of his sore behind. He knew Loki could probably heal the bruises, but damn if he was going to ask. His pride would be the death of him, probably. _If not liver failure_. Loki sat next to him and placed the coffee as far away from him as physically possible. He had grown too accustomed to expensive varieties to tolerate that cheap swill.

"Yes, he is in SHIELD custody as of early this morning and the artifact he stole from the Metropolitan museum is on its way back where it belongs." Clint explained, glaring at Tony. "No thanks to you."

"Oh." The engineer muttered. "Uh, that's great. ...And really anticlimactic. I don't suppose I can throw some cash your way to go beat the shit out of him anyway? I'm still pissed about my tower."

"No, you can _not_. Anyway Tony, you can go the hell home and stop being an idiot. Thor set the record straight. You are officially not dead anymore, nor wanted by SHIELD. Oh, and we're pretty sure this belongs to you." Clint said and placed a small box on the table in front of him. Raising his eyebrows, Tony opened it and frowned. It was the spare arc reactor that was missing from his workshop, and it was in pieces.

"We found that in an underground lab Doom had right under noses back in New York." Natasha explained. "Miss Potts told us that there was a security breach that Jarvis couldn't pin-point in your Malibu mansion. We're guessing that was when he took it. If it makes you feel any better, we found it like that. ...And didn't mention it to Fury."

Tony turned over the core of the reactor in his hands, at least all the parts were there and he doubted Doom had the resources to replicate it if he broke out of the big house. Super villainy aside, he couldn't just pull a particle accelerator out of his ass. This was personal, though. Somehow it made him feel utterly violated to see it in pieces. At least Fury didn't get a look at the inner workings. Still, as soon as he got home he had some hacking to do in order to make damned sure of that.

"Loki, you're free to go, too. Thor told us all about your arrangement with the All-Mother. We won't get in your way, unless you get in over you head or if you decide to stop playing nice. But you're going to need better resources than that shitty apartment in Brooklyn to actually be effective at your job. I was going to see about petitioning Fury to give you SHIELD funding since you're basically doing our work for us, but after this morning..." Natasha told the demigod and glanced meaningfully at Tony. "...I think you're Stark's problem now."

Tony rolled his eyes but smiled disarmingly. "Yeah, fine. Just... I think I'd rather stay in New York. Is my father's old mansion still in one piece and secure, do you know?" He asked. Honestly, he just wanted to avoid Pepper. She'd kill him when she found out about Loki. ...If not, she was practically guaranteed to accidentally walk in on them every time they were getting somewhere.

"Yeah, as far as we know. Stark Tower is already being rebuilt, though. It should be done in a couple months, tops." Clint explained and finally nonchalantly dumped his coffee in the terracotta pot housing a fake palm plant on the windowsill beside him. Wordlessly, Natasha handed him hers and it followed suit. Loki did the same with his and the ugly plastic cactus on his side. Thor pointedly shoved his cup in his brother's direction and its contents also wound up in the pot belonging to the ridiculous acrylic succulent. The domesticity of it all overwhelmed Tony and he just started laughing. The others all watched, glaring at him like he'd finally cracked. Except Loki, he smiled - a real smile and Tony knew that was the equivalent of Fury rolling around on the helicarrier deck in hysterics.

"So... Can I keep the car as a souvenir?" Tony asked when he composed himself.

"No." Clint and Natasha said in unison.

"...Damn it." Tony muttered mutinously.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: Picking up the Pieces**

* * *

Tony decided to forgo staying at the mansion he'd grown up in. It dredged up too much of his past, and he was determined to keep moving forward. So three days later, he and Loki were back to the mansion in Malibu instead. Pepper, of course, was there waiting for them in the foyer when they walked in after Clint dropped them off. Thor had come along as well, wanting to spend some time with Loki before he had to return to Asgard. Loki didn't seem particularly thrilled, but Thor was doing that whole kicked puppy thing again. Tony couldn't blame the trickster for just going along with it to humor him.

"Hey Peps, I'm home." Tony said awkwardly as he walked in, followed by the two demigods. The glare she gave him could have struck him dead where he stood. _Loki could take some lessons in being menacing from her, _he thought and tried not to let his smile waver. If nothing else, at least the mansion so far appeared to be exactly as he left it. Maybe a little tidier with only Pepper living there if anything. Speaking of Pepper, she walked right up to Tony and slapped him across the face so hard that he staggered backwards into Thor who was standing behind him. He'd have to admit, it had caught him by surprise. Pepper was never the violent type. In fact, she abhorred violence of any sort. But then he _really_ pissed her off this time.

_Probably should have seen that coming._

"Yeowch." Tony muttered. "Sorry about all this." Pepper was like an angry bear who'd been woken during hibernation. But at least she was looking better than the last time Tony had seen her. There were no more dark circles under her eyes, and her red hair was neatly pulled into a well-styled updo. The old Pepper was back – the one that wasn't being ran into the ground by Tony Stark and his bullshit.

Tony immediately felt more than a little guilty.

"'Sorry'? All you have to say is 'sorry'?!" She shrieked. "I thought you were dead, Tony! I thought I'd never see you again! And all you have to say is 'sorry'?!" He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair that was in desperate need of being trimmed.

"Lady Pepper! Man of Iron acted with honor to protect both my brother and himself from being falsely convicted of crimes they did not commit. Please do not be so angry." Thor insisted. Loki glanced at Pepper and stepped away from Thor. He wanted no part of this; angry women were not so easily cajoled. He would know, he spent enough being one.

"I know that Thor. I was just worried." Pepper replied in annoyance. "How would you feel if your brother died, criminal record aside? Not that Tony is my brother, but he might as well be." Thor looked at the floor shamefully, he knew would react much more violently than Pepper had. They'd be lucky if the mansion was still standing. After all, the Aesir were lucky Asgard was still in one piece after Loki had fallen from the bifrost to his apparent death. Thor's grieving had involved him getting so drunk that he leveled his entire living quarters with a powerful storm he couldn't remember summoning. All he _could _remember was waking up in Jane Foster's bed in a fetal position a week later.

"I think I like 'easily enraged little sister' a lot more than my 'CEO who is also my angry ex-girlfriend'." Tony commented. Pepper scoffed, but smiled.

"You can't do a thing without me. Look at you!" She complained. "Jarvis, call the salon, he needs a haircut yesterday. Tony, go take a shower and change into something decent – you look like you crawled out of a ditch. When was the last time you ate anything? Have you been sleeping at all? You look terrible." Tony rolled his eyes and shook his head. Well, some things never changed. That had to be a good thing, right? Still, he might as well get the really awkward bit out of the way before she actually calmed down. She could only get so furious, so he might as well get it over with.

"So, a lot of things happened during my little adventure to hell and back." Tony explained, grimacing. He knew that look she was giving him. She knew she wasn't going to like whatever came out of his mouth next and was steeling herself to rip him a new one.

"Tony - I swear to God if I have to use company funding to pay off _another _sexual harassment suit... Please tell me it wasn't another teenager." Pepper hissed.

"Uh, no. And how was that my fault? She shouldn't have been allowed in the club. Actually, I'm officially dating the God of Mischief." He rambled and smiled apologetically at Pepper. _Holy shit that sounds like the name of a cheesy porno. _ Her eyes fell on Loki who shook his head in disbelief at Tony's utter lack of tact or instinct for self-preservation.

"You... Idiot." She said breathlessly. "Do you have any idea what that's going to do to public relations? Do you realize how much of a mess the stocks are because of your 'death'? Down by forty percent! And now you... ugh."

"Pepper, the stocks will be fine. It always works out somehow." Tony said and put his hands on her shoulders. "It'll be fine. Just please don't kill me, because I think I'm finally getting my shit together even if I know it doesn't look like it."

"_Forty Percent_, Tony." She repeated. "But fine, you got yourself into this, you can clean it up. PR is your problem. Don't make it any more of a mess than it already is or the board will shut you out of Stark Industries _again._"

"I won't, I promise." Tony assured her.

"And_ you_." Pepper said to Loki who frowned. "If you hurt him, I will make your life a living hell. At least for the remainder of this century."

Loki smiled. "You know, Lady Pepper, I think we may just get along quite well." She scrutinized him for a moment before vanishing out the front door to head back to the corporate office for Stark Industries, leaving Tony alone with the two demigods as the clicking of her heels echoed through the foyer. Loki could definitely understand why Tony had been drawn to her. She was the only kind of woman Loki tolerated – strong and independent.

"Well, that went surprisingly well." Tony commented.

"If you consider that as having gone well, should I be worried?" Loki asked humorously.

"Probably. Pepper can be like an angry rabid bear if you make her mad. So _don't_ make her mad." Tony warned him seriously.

"That was not 'mad'?" Thor asked, sounding like a scolded child.

"No, not really. That was her being concerned and worried for my well-being. 'Mad' is when I've done something stupid and refuse to acknowledge it, and she then proceeds to quit being my CEO in retaliation. ...Or have the board members lock me out of my own damn company until I apologize for being a moron." Tony explained nonchalantly. "She's creative like that, and damn scary when she's actually pissed. But the scary thing isn't really her so much as how she finds ways to get a point across without actually saying anything. She could teach Loki a few things about being manipulative as fuck."

Neither one of the demigods particularly felt like commenting, so they didn't. Thor knew all too well how it felt to be manipulated. Loki only smirked. He could easily imagine the redhead having Tony wrapped around her finger. It really was a shame that Loki fully intended destroy what hold she still had on his pet. Not their friendship, of course, but she still held the engineer's heart in her hands and didn't even realize it.

In the end, Thor dragged Loki out with him to show him some of the 'glories of Midgardian culture' while Tony went to have a haircut and arrange a press conference for the following morning. He hoped Malibu would still be on the map when Loki and Thor were done exploring.

* * *

"Sir, you have thirty five missed calls from various news stations, six from Director Fury of SHIELD and four from the Public Relations department of Stark Industries." Jarvis said to Tony as he strode into his workshop with a cup of Starbucks latte and a newspaper after his appointment at the salon. Tony ignored Jarvis and spent half an hour getting his workshop back to its previous state of immaculate organization.

It was surprising how something as simple as a haircut and a proper shave could make him feel human again. At least now he saw himself in the mirror instead of a dirty drifter. And as an added benefit, he looked ten times less careworn and downtrodden without the alcohol or depression. How such seemingly good things had come out such a mess was overwhelming.

"Bring up the blueprints for the Mark 42." He told the AI when he was finished straightening up the workshop. "Daddy has some work to do. Oh, and I guess call Fury back. The PR department can wait until after the shit hits the fan at the press conference tomorrow morning."

Tony yawned and settled into his chair with the newspaper. There was nothing particularly interesting. Vincent Von Doom's arrest was old news, though there were still a few articles talking about it. Apparently he'd attempted to steal another artifact from the Metropolitan Museum, but there were thirty of SHIELD's best agents and one really pissed off Captain America waiting for him. At least they'd had the sense to add security. Boredly, he folded up the newspaper and tossed it aside. He snapped his fingers and watched as the Mark 42's blueprints popped up in holograms around him.

_Well, that's a mess. How does it even function like this?_

He was never drinking again.

He'd kill himself, and it wouldn't even be liver failure.

_Screw Alcoholics Anonymous. That did the trick right there._

The suit was an absolute death-trap due to poor engineering as the result of being drunk not only when he designed it, but also when he built it. Well, it was poor engineering by his standards. The military would still probably piss themselves if they had someone capable of coming up with something even close to it. He was lucky he hadn't died on that test flight. If he'd stayed in the air any longer the flight stabilizers would have short-circuited. The prehensile implants were a badass idea, but it never would have properly worked. It was probably a good thing he hadn't gotten around to actually injecting them into himself. Still, he was clear-headed and significantly more emotionally stable that he had been then. He could make it work now, and most likely without killing himself in the process.

"Stark?" Fury's voice came over the intercom in the workshop that he'd wired incoming calls to.

"Yeah? What's up Olaf One-Eye?" Tony asked and made a new file to start redesigning the Mark 42 from scratch.

"It's about Loki." He said ominously.

"Please tell me Malibu isn't burning down around me." The engineer grumbled and took a sip of his latte. "Thor is babysitting him so it should be fine." _It had better be fine because… No. It's going to be fine._

"As far as I know Malibu is still standing." Fury replied irritably. "I was thinking more about the future, and how I want you to be aware that if he turns around and fucks us over, it's all on you. No questions asked, no trials. You'll be held accountable for his actions. I don't think I need to go into detail about what that entails." Tony sighed and leaned back in the chair. _How to make the god of mischief behave... Well, that shouldn't be too hard. Just need some rope, a pair of handcuffs and a whip. Oh, and my cock._

"Fine. Since I assume your little pets already told you." Tony groused.

"Told me what? You mean about his reason for being here? I know that now, Stark." Fury asked. Tony raised his eyebrows. So he didn't know. _Interesting_.

"Oh, don't worry. You'll figure it out soon enough." Tony said suggestively. "Anyway, I have work to do, so if Malibu isn't burning down I really need to get to that." Tony ignored shouted threats about withholding information and told Jarvis to hang up. He intended to go public about his relationship with Loki when he was sure it actually _was _a relationship, and not just a really awesome fling. He was tired of desperate, horny women hanging off of him anyway.

A few hours later, he'd come up with a design that made the Mark 42 look like an antique child's toy. The Mark 43, alternatively named 'Valkyrie', was an absolute masterpiece. Or, it would be once it was built. It would be lightweight, yet twice as durable as the old suits, which would allow for greater freedom of movement with no sacrifice to the strength of the metal alloy. The rocket boosters and flight stabilizers were based entirely on an electrical current generated by a second arc reactor that did not require any fuel or a secondary power source. He'd have to make a few prototypes of that, but once he got it right it would be able to fly longer and smoother than any of the previous designs. Plus, the addition of the built-in arc reactor would reduce strain on the one in his chest and give him at least twice as much charge for the repulsors and uni beam.

Basically, the Valkyrie was going to be one badass feat of engineering. Tony nearly had a boner just thinking about it.

"Jarvis, show me a hologram of the complete design." He told the AI. It looked similar, yet entirely different from his older suits. The faceplate was the same as always, but the rest of it was much sleeker due to consisting of at least twice as many interlocking armor plates. Getting out of this thing without robotic assistance would be a bitch, but if he was able to incorporate the Mark 42's intended prehensile assembly system, it would be like an extension of his own body.

Though, something about it wasn't right.

"Let's change the colors, Jarvis. I'm thinking green and black, maybe a touch of gold here and there." He thought smiling as he recalled the image of Loki's ridiculous space viking getup to mind.

"Sir, does that color scheme suit a Valkyrie?" The AI asked.

"It's just a name, Jarvis. Load it." Tony retorted, wondering if it was such a good idea to make Jarvis so sassy. The hologram changed to the intended color scheme and Tony nodded approvingly. At least it would take him half an age to build the thing, so if the trickster pissed him off he could always change the colors. Though, somehow he didn't see that happening. No, he had a feeling he was stuck with him for better or worse.

"Perfect. Save it. I'll start building this beast tomorrow." Tony quipped as he got up from his chair and stretched stiffly. Thor and Loki would be back anytime now, and he still needed to get some crap together for the press conference before Loki got bored and came up with other plans for the evening.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16:** **A New Mission**

* * *

Thor and Loki found themselves on the private beach area near the mansion that belonged to Tony after they visited an ice cream parlor. They'd explored a lot of the city, stopping occasionally to look at various landmarks. Once, Thor had even signed his autograph for a bunch of teenage girls that recognized him and practically fell at his feet. Loki had just rolled his eyes and ignored the display. Some things never changed; mortal women were not any different from the Aesir ones. Well, at least not when it came to throwing themselves at Thor's feet like the mewling quims they were.

Malibu was a very relaxing place without all the hustle and bustle of New York. Loki loved the feeling of the sea breeze against his skin and the scent of salt in the air. He could get used to this place in time.

"Is it not a wondrous concoction, brother?" Thor asked as Loki licked his chocolate ice cream cone. He really did enjoy it, but he'd never admit that to Thor. They were just lucky they weren't at each other's throats. ...And that Thor hadn't caused a scene. Yet. Unlike Loki, he had a difficult time adjusting to different cultures. He always had. That was why it was the trickster who handled anything diplomatic that Odin left in their hands. Thor would inevitably just make an unholy mess of things.

"It is good." Loki commented. "I like it here."

"Yes, it is not like the other Midgardian cities I have been to. But you will be traveling to New York when the tower is rebuilt, yes?" Thor replied, eying Loki's ice cream – he'd already devoured his. Loki noticed and glared at him.

"I believe so." He said shortly and watched the clouds float by over the ocean. He could do without all the sand lodged in his clothes, but he still loved the ocean. Even Thor was having a hard time ruining the peaceful atmosphere.

"I believe Man of Iron will treat you well. Perhaps many more good things will come of mother's assignment." Thor said hopefully. Loki knew this dreaded conversation was coming, even though he'd mostly managed to avoid the entire subject for the better part of the day.

"We are _not _talking about that." Loki snapped. A long silence followed the statement, interrupted only by the call of a seagull nearby and the rolling waves crashing against the shore. It wasn't that Loki was unhappy with his current situation, he just did not want any part of talking about sex with Thor. That never ended well. Even though Thor had a different maiden in his chambers every night, any discussion they had about it usually ended up with Thor looking at him like a blushing virgin. ...But then, Thor wasn't nearly half the sexual deviant his brother was.

"The other mortals did not particularly seem to care about it." Loki said as he realized it. "They seemed more affronted that it was me rather than... anything else." Yes, they had been more bothered that Stark was sleeping with a former enemy than the fact that he was male. Well, at the time he was in a male form, but still. That was strange. If he had been caught in such a situation in Asgard, he would be shamed for the rest of his life and probably would be forced to give up his rights to the throne. ...If he had ever truly possessed such rights.

"Of course not, such relations are normal for Midgardians. In some places two men can marry one another. I was shocked when Lady Darcy explained it to me, but it seems like a good thing. There are many that possess views similar to the Aesir, though sadly." Thor explained. Loki stared at him in disbelief. If he hadn't thought Thor to be too stupid to joke about such things, he wouldn't have believed him. _And I wanted to destroy this place... The only realm that might accept me as I am._

"I suppose I do not despise this realm as much as I used to." Loki admitted somewhat sheepishly. "Why did you never hate me for being different?"

"You are my little brother. How could I hate you?" Thor said and laughed heartily. Loki tried to escape the impending bone-crushing hug, but didn't quite manage it. Thor ruffled his hair affectionately and let go of him. "Just because something is different does not mean it is wrong."

Hearing those words, Loki was forced to begrudgingly foster a new respect for the thunderer. There was a time that Thor would have easily discarded such a notion with Loki being the only exception. But in the past few years, and through their struggles, he had really grown. Maybe his muscles still outweighed his brains, but Thor was no longer the arrogant, obnoxious buffoon he once was. No, Loki could call him 'brother' now and no longer say the word with disdain. He'd never think of Odin as a father, but Thor... Bit by bit, they were picking up the pieces of their shattered relationship.

"Thank you, brother." Loki whispered. Thor smiled like an idiot and looked like he could just explode from all the happiness welling up inside of him.

"Make sure to invite Lady Jane and I to the wedding!" Loki chuckled and shook his head.

"Don't get ahead of yourself." He retorted and pushed Thor into the pile of sand behind him.

* * *

"So, how was your date with Thor?" Tony asked when Loki finally walked into his lounge like he owned the place. It was a little after sunset and the lounge was bathed in the fading sunlight. Tony looked up from the pile of papers he was going through and noticed that the demigod's clothes were covered with sand. Loki gave Tony one of his rare real smiles and sat on the bench to the piano behind him.

"The cleaning lady is going to hate you when she sees all that sand. Where's Point Break?" Tony asked, setting his paperwork aside. Everything was ready for the press conference. _Finally_. Now all he had to do was survive it.

"Thor has left to visit Lady Jane before returning to Asgard for a time." Loki replied. "I suppose it is just the two of us, yes?" Tony noticed the way his emerald green eyes twinkled mischievously and wondered for the hundredth time what he'd gotten himself into.

"Nope, Pepper lives here. She's upstairs somewhere. ...But she won't hear you screaming my name down in the workshop if that's what you're worried about." Tony said with a smirk.

"Tempting, but I require a shower. There is sand in places it has no right being." Loki replied, giving him a suggestive wink.

"Make yourself at home, Darling. You pretty much live here now." Tony told him. "I can join you, if you would like."

"I was hoping you might." Loki purred and started up the stairs to the master bedroom. Tony didn't need telling twice and dropped everything to follow him. Some opportunities simply demand not be ignored, and ravishing Loki in a nice, hot shower is one of them.

* * *

The worst thing about mothers, is that they always pick the most awkward time to just waltz into their kid's bedroom without knocking. Well, bathroom. Whatever. Details. Either way, nothing could have prepared Tony for being metaphorically walked in on by the queen of Asgard.

They had just gotten out of the shower. Tony had Loki pressed up against the glass shower door with one hand tangled in his long ebony curls and the other between his legs. Their lips were locked in a passive-aggressive battle for dominance, a battle one Tony Stark refused to lose. He couldn't overpower the demigod, but reduce him to a mewling mess of sensation with no will to resist? Yeah, he could do that.

Or at least he could try.

"I am not a woman. You handle me too gently." Loki purred and bit Tony's lower lip hard enough to hurt, but not enough to bruise or draw blood. And hey wasn't he supposed to be the one on top this time?

"So you want it rough?" Tony asked rhetorically and pinched one of his nipples between his fingers, hard. Loki hissed and arched into the touch.

"That's better." Loki breathed and dug his nails into Tony's back as he wrapped his other hand around the demigod's straining erection. He had to admit, Stark was good at this for going on instinct alone. True, he had many things to teach the mortal, but this was a _very _excellent start. While the art of seducing women was something Tony had utterly mastered, he had a hell of a lot to learn where men were concerned.

"Just tell me what you'd like. I can make it happen." Tony whispered seductively. "Anything." Loki chuckled and pondered the most obscene request he could make just to see Stark's reaction, when the sound of a familiar female voice interrupted his chain of thought.

"Loki dear, it's been a while but I have a new mission for you to – Oh. _Oh my._ Is this a bad time?" Loki made a quiet, almost feral growling sound in sheer annoyance and threw his head back against the shower door with a soft thud. Tony, awkwardly looked behind them to see a reflection in the huge, wall length mirror of a women with curly blonde hair dressed like she belonged at a Renaissance fair. Her face was bright red, yet she didn't look away.

"What do you think, mother?" Loki muttered and rolled his eyes.

Tony would say he had no shame, and everyone else who knew him would attest to it in a heartbeat. Somehow, it didn't even phase him when Pepper walked in on him bent over the bar counter with a random tipsy girl whose name he didn't even know hog-tied and covered in chocolate syrup. Actually, that had happened a few times and he just pretended she wasn't even there gawking at him in disgust. But damn if that wasn't a blush creeping into his cheeks. ...Not to mention a total mood-killer.

"Ah well, nothing I haven't seen before." Tony hid his face in Loki's hair. _Well damn if that didn't make it worse. _Surprisingly, Loki just wrapped his arms around him possessively. _This is not happening._

"Anyway, Amora is loose in Midgard somewhere causing trouble. Last I heard she cast a love spell on a well-off congressman and is living quite comfortably. Do send her home before she convinces the poor sod to divorce his wife and marry her. And do be careful because she still has Skurge to protect her." The queen explained. Tony snorted and shook his head. _Talking reflections and love spells? What the fuck is this? Hogwarts?_

"As you wish, though I may not be the best candidate for this mission. She _likes_ Thor, let him do it." Loki complained.

"I am aware of your history with the enchantress. Use it to your advantage. Good luck, dear." Frigga said and vanished. Tony and Loki made uneasy eye contact.

"Well, that was... strange." Tony commented. Loki sighed miserably and threw a towel over Tony's head. He wrapped it around his waist and contemplated the whole situation. "Who is Amora?"

Loki stared at him for a moment before answering. Sometimes the way Loki would just silently watch him like a predator examining its prey unnerved him, other times he didn't even notice it. What he wouldn't give to know what was going on in his head. Though, he had a few guesses and most of them involved chains and whips. Not that he was particularly opposed to that after the adventure in the motel room.

"She is an Asgardian enchantress and one of few magic wielders with mastery of over the arts of sorcery comparable to my own. She is not really a villain, but she does as she pleases and has no morals when it comes to her own personal pursuits." Loki told Tony as he rubbed his hair dry with a towel. "She also has a mindless obsession with Thor, and can seduce anything on two legs."

"Oh, so she's like you with a vagina?" Tony asked with a bark of laughter. Loki glared at him but made no comment. "So, you two have a history?"

"Not in the way you are thinking. That would be her younger sister, Lorelei, whom Amora bewitched to fall in love with me because I predictably treated her horribly. Apparently it was the most convenient way to make both of us miserable. I am not good with handling women and their emotional, romantic nonsense. Amora and Lorelei are somewhat like Thor and I – they never get along. When they do, it is disastrous. Usually, though, they spend most of their time trying to ruin each other's lives like the pair of harpies they are. I wouldn't call them evil, but they are not on your side, nor were they ever on mine for that matter. Though, admittedly I have used their melodramatics to my advantage on many occasions." Loki explained as he wandered back into the bedroom.

He silently went over the mission in his head, wondering how he was even going to _find _Amora. Tony followed and wrapped his arms around Loki from behind. Unconsciously, he leaned into the embrace. It completely amazed him how easily they had fallen into this... relationship. No, he could not call it that. Calling it that meant he was no less foolish than Thor. He was_ not_ falling in love. That was not an option. He was _not _going to give his heart and soul to someone whose entire lifespan was mere minutes in comparison to his own. He wasn't that much of a masochist. Well, it didn't necessarily need to end that way, but Loki was pretty damn sure he had pissed Idunn off far too thoroughly to ever get his hands on one of the golden apples of immortality. No, there was no use even thinking about it – it was not an option.

"Will you assist me with this, Anthony?" Loki inquired, shoving any thoughts of anything but sex as far as Stark was concerned out of his mind. "Amora is a force to be reckoned with and despite my mother's advice, there is no such advantage. She will not trust me, so playing my usual mind games will be useless with her. She knows me too well."

"Sure, maybe my mind games will work. Unlike you, I _am _good at handling women." Tony replied suggestively. Loki chuckled and smiled to himself.

"If you can 'handle' me in a female form, I may take that comment seriously. But that, I sincerely doubt."

"Is that a challenge?" Tony purred and carded his fingers through Loki's hair.

"If it pleases you."


	17. Chapter 17

**Warning: **This chapter has descriptive depictions of torture.

* * *

**Chapter 17: Falling to Pieces**

* * *

Loki was aware of three things: It was dark, it was cold and he was in absolute _agony_. He wouldn't be surprised if his body were simply broken. But something about this foul place was familiar. Memories of being unmade at Thanos' hands found their way into his fevered mind.

_There will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he can not find you._

_No!_ How had it come to this? How had he fallen back into their hands? The demigod tugged against chains binding his wrists. Whatever they were made of was too durable for even his superhuman strength to break. He strained his eyes in the darkness but could see nothing.

_You think you know pain? He will make you long for something as sweet as pain._

Loki writhed against the chains binding him. He had to escape. The scent of dank mildew and wet stone mingled with the pungent stench of rotting flesh clouded his thoughts. _No. This is not real. Thanos is dead. Yes. Dead. This is an illusion. _

It was true, The mad titan and two thirds of the Chitauri force had been killed in the blast from the weapon that Stark had thrown into the portal. Loki could feel it – the moment he'd died. In truth, the hulk's beating had only caused a temporary lapse in Thanos' control over his mind. In that moment, he fought against it with every ounce of his willpower. But when the Chitauri fleet was blown up, Loki felt something shatter inside of his heart. He knew, in that instant, that it was finally over and Thanos was dead. It was only irony that he thought to ask Stark for the drink he'd offered him. It was one of a few faint memories he possessed of the time under Thanos' control. Though, drinking himself into a stupor might have made that moment somewhat less humiliating.

_Dead. This is not real. _

_Wake up._

Loki screamed in abandon as he felt a whip full of metal barbs lash across his back. He realized then that he was hanging from the ceiling. He couldn't feel his hands, they had gone numb from supporting the weight of his body. He breathed raggedly, trying to ignore the sound of his own blood dripping onto the floor that was likely already soaked with it. The skin on his back and thighs was positively shredded – it had to be. _The Pain. Norns, the pain! _He couldn't escape. But he had to think of something, anything, that could give him strength.

_Stark._

Where was he though? Was his precious mortal pet with a wit to rival his own even alive anymore? Surely Thanos would have killed him to break the god.

_No, do not think of that_. _Think of his lips on my skin, his fingers in my hair, the way he smiles when some Midgardian contraption confuses me. Think of the way he trusted me the first time we - _

"Reindeer Games?" The demigod shook his head. No, he was not hearing his voice in this place. His mind was playing tricks on him. That happened if he was in enough pain or mental duress – it was one of his greatest weaknesses.

He screamed in anguish as he was whipped across the chest so hard that he heard his skin tear and a rib crack. The worst thing, was that in a few hours these injuries would all heal and it will just start over again. If he could just lay in a broken heap a little longer maybe there would be some kind of respite from the torment before the vicious cycle began anew.

"Lokes, you're having a nightmare. Wake up." Loki struggled futilely. He could hear a cold cruel laughter near him.

"No one is going to save you, Godling." Thanos.

"No! No! _Anthony!_" Loki cried and pulled harder against the chains. They finally snapped and he fell hard against the floor. But where he'd been expecting mildewed stone fouled by his own blood he found only a thick red plush carpet that smelled faintly of whatever it had been cleaned with recently. He was naked and tangled awkwardly in a white silk bed sheet. Shaken, he pushed himself to his knees and turned toward the bed where Tony was looking down at him with concern.

Loki pressed a trembling hand against his chest. No shredded skin, no broken ribs. He could sense no trace of Thanos old influence over him. _A nightmare. _The pain had been so real, though. He could still feel traces of it and shuddered. He ignored Tony and forced his usual mask of calm to the surface as he walked into the bathroom with carefully measured steps.

He wanted to run – maybe even go as far as far as crawling up into a little ball under Stark's bed. He'd be safe there. The mortal would protect him, he knew that. But Loki could not – would _not – _let him see him like this. He refused to show weakness. What he really wanted was to crawl back into the bed and cling to Tony for dear life. He wanted to be held like a child. Maybe it was because he'd never had that. Never had anyone to run to except for his mother.

He couldn't keep going on like this.

All he'd ever wanted was to be loved. But Stark didn't love him. That would too much ask after such a short time. Maybe in time he would, but Loki knew that there would just never be enough _time. _He had to stop this now, before he got too attached, that was the only option. Even if he found some way to keep Stark at his side without the golden apples, Odin would surely take it away. He was counting the days until he was dragged back to his cell as it was.

Frigga had always protected him, but this time she'd gone too far. It was only borrowed time until Odin got tired of humoring his wife. And that was what it was, really. Did he even love her? Loki had often wondered that. Frigga was always two steps behind him, after all. Never in front of him. Never at his side. Always behind him. She probably preferred that. If Odin paid any more attention to her she would have had very little freedom. She cared for him unconditionally, but he never seemed to acknowledge that.

Loki dashed these thoughts from his mind and splashed cold water over his face. He rubbed his eyes and stared blearily at his reflection in the circular mirror mounted above the sink.

Had he always looked so... sad? Lost?

...Broken?

"I will find a way. If I cannot, then I will make the best of what little time there is." He whispered to himself. That was the best he could do. He _needed _this. That he knew, just not how _much_ he needed it. Whatever it was he shared with Stark, it was the first time in centuries he had felt as though he was actually wanted and not merely tolerated.

He hated what it was doing to him.

Being unmade was easier.

Being _remade _however was an entirely different type of torture. Loki didn't do emotions. Well, unless he was toying with someone's heart. He'd almost preferred the physical pain. Feeling like he was the verge of tears ashis heart was being metaphorically wrenched from his chest was entirely too close to behaving like a woman. That was always something he tried to avoid. The taunts and constant emasculation at the hands of the Aesir had hurt just as much, if not more, than discovering Odin's lies and his true heritage. To an extent he ignored it. Being a shapeshifter made the concept of gender somewhat irrelevant and petty to him, but never being to live up the expectations of his family and peers had always weighed heavily on his spirit.

He had no idea how to deal with this.

He just wanted to crawl in a hole and die.

Instead, he dragged himself into the shower and set the water as hot as he could stand it. He scrubbed himself raw as if it could somehow erase how filthy and defiled he felt after the nightmare. It wouldn't work. It never did.

It was always worth a try.

* * *

Tony was no psychologist, but he knew post traumatic stress disorder when he saw it. He also knew that trying to comfort Loki would probably just make it worse. Tony had always felt smothered whenever Pepper tried to console him after having his usual nightmares about the Ten Rings. He hadn't meant to push her away, but ignoring her presence and drowning himself in alcohol was the only thing that helped. That, and tinkering in the workshop until he passed out from exhaustion and started the whole damn cycle over again.

It was best to leave Loki alone. If he wanted to talk about it, he would. It wasn't the first time he'd heard the trickster whimper and cry out in his sleep. ...Not that he'd slept often or for very long during their little adventure. Tony guessed whatever was haunting his dreams was the reason for that more so than a lack of trust. Tony doubted he could actually cause Loki any lasting physical harm if he tried his damnedest.

Now he knew why Loki hadn't butted in on his pity party when he had that breakdown in the hotel room. Well, he had butted in a little, but only enough to tactfully tell him to get his shit together which was completely necessary at the time.

Instead of bothering Loki, he settled back into his pillows after Jarvis checked the time. He still had an hour before he had to leave the for the press conference. He didn't quite fall asleep, so he noticed when Loki slid back into bed beside him and pressed himself against his back.

"If you want to talk about it, I'll listen. And I won't make fun of you – I promise. Or, I won't ask again if you don't want me to." Tony said quietly. Loki sighed miserably and shook his head. He'd really hoped the mortal was asleep.

"Not right now." He murmured. "Will you... Will you hold me?" He managed to ask and immediately was ashamed of himself. What was he? A mewling quim? Certainly such a pathetic request did not befit the God of Chaos and lies.

Tony didn't say anything, he just rolled over and wrapped his arms around Loki possessively. The god closed his eyes and rested his head on his chest. It felt good. Safe. And somehow _right. _He would be perfectly content to never move from that spot. Sometimes words weren't necessary. This was one of those rare moments, even if it was painfully short-lived.

Loki contemplated murdering Pepper for knocking on the door and reminding Tony to get ready for the press conference. He had asked if Loki wanted to come along – He could always transform into someone else. It might stop some of the horny female reporters from blatantly invading his personal space. He didn't, though. Tony couldn't blame him. It was probably safer anyway.

The press conference was droll. He spent the better part of two hours talking about expenditures of Stark Industries and denying any kind of connection to Loki. He offered condolences to the families of the Stark Industries employees killed in Doom's attack, and a wonderfully sappy speech in memory of them. It was all rather pompous, really. But he had to kiss ass to get the public's support back. He knew Pepper would clean up the mess in spite of what she said, but he felt guilty. He had to try to help at least a little without making an ass of himself. Not making an ass of himself at a press conference was surprisingly difficult. He was constantly fighting the urge to let some sarcastic remark slip though.

When the talk turned to Loki, he confirmed that Doom was solely responsible for the attack. Loki had broken into the tower to attempt to steal technology, yes, but he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Either way, he was back in SHIELD custody allowed to occasionally leave if he was with one of the Avengers. That was the story anyway, even if just for Loki's sake his real purpose needed to stay a secret. Being allowed to be out with the avengers would cover any questions about him being in Malibu if he'd been sighted with Thor.

What he had to say seemed to satisfy the reporters, so he finally wrapped it up with a promise for a new breakthrough in arc reactor technology that was he was working on that would revolutionize the green energy industry.

It was only about three quarters of a lie.

On the way out, he was cornered by a pair of female reporters. They were gorgeous, honestly. They could give Loki's female form a run for her money. One of them even had wavy black hair. The other was a brunette with a short pixie cut, but she was by no means a butch.

"Can I help you ladies?" He asked, cordially. "I'm afraid I've got a date tonight already, but hey I can answer a couple more questions really quick if that's what you're after." Both of them smiled and laughed, but not in that cute sassy way that girls do when the were trying to get in his pants.

"We're not trying to pick you up, Mr. Stark. We're from the New York Times. We're running an article pretty soon about the current American political views on gay marriage and the public's response. More or less we've been trying to get opinions from upstanding citizens of our country on the matter." The black haired reporter explained and switched on a small digital voice recorder.

"So, if you don't mind Mr. Stark – Where do you stand on the topic of gay rights?" Tony smirked and thought of the demigod curled up in his bed where he'd left him. He knew exactly where he stood on that.

"Well, I imagine this will be all over the news soon enough, so you ladies might as well be the first to hear it." Tony said somewhat thoughtfully.

_This is such a bad idea... _

_Oh fuck it._

"It only took me thirty years of being a total womanizing playboy whore to realize that I was going about it all wrong and that I was never satisfied with that lifestyle. Maybe if I wasn't part of a generation that demonizes homosexuality and had been raised in a more open-minded household I might have realized it sooner. Either way, I can't change the past. What I _can_ do is honestly say that I'm done with the whole playboy thing. I'm not ashamed to admit it either – I'm totally coming out of the closet here. I'm all for gay rights, and plan to be a very active advocate for everything to do with it in the future." Tony explained, straining not to burst into a fit of laughter when he saw the looks on the two reporters' faces.

"Mr. Stark, we would appreciate a _serious _comment." The brunette replied, but looked at him hopefully. The other one nodded in agreement. Tony smoothed his fingers across his goatee and glared at them.

"That was a serious comment. There's a pretty awesome guy in my life right now, and honestly it's probably the healthiest relationship I've ever had." Tony told them. They stared in disbelief. He was feeling a little out of his element as well, even if the comment had been completely true.

_And how did this all happen, again?_

"That's amazing Mr. Stark! Any chance you'd tell us who your special man is?" The Brunette asked. Tony smiled and shook his head.

"Nope, sorry. He doesn't really like being the center of attention unless it's mine. I'll just have to respect that." Tony said and checked the time on his phone. "I've got to run. Best of luck with your article, girls."

_Pepper is going to murder me. _

_Loki is going to beat me senseless._

_I don't especially care._


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: A new Ally**

* * *

Two weeks later Tony found himself sitting in the conference room aboard the SHIELD helicarrier in New York. Somehow this one had lasted like a month without getting blown up or hijacked. It was almost impressive. Loki was somewhere on board, but Tony doubted SHIELD had any reason to give him any issues. Of course, Tony's least favorite person in the world was sitting across from him with a newspaper staring menacingly at him over the top of it with his one good eye. Wordlessly, Fury folded up the newspaper and shoved it across the glass tabletop to Tony. He twitched a bit when he saw the front page but managed to keep his mouth shut.

He never did figure out if he was supposed to look at the eye or the patch.

"Explain." The director of SHIELD demanded and shoved his hands in the pockets of the long leather coat he was never seen without. Tony glanced at the headline: 'Genius Inventor and Avenger Tony Stark Comes Out of the Closet'. He rolled his eyes. He recalled Clint's comment about the day such an article would exist and fought the urge to laugh at the irony.

Tony took the paper and read through the article.

* * *

During a press conference in the aftermath of the attacks on Stark Tower last month, Mr. Tony Stark was approached by the New York Times for his opinion on gay rights. The reporters got a bit more than a quick comment. Not only did Stark admit to being bisexual himself, he also swears to have left the playboy reputation he is so well known for behind. "I was never satisfied with that lifestyle", Stark explained. True to his word, Stark hasn't been seen near any of his usual haunts or with any women lately. He even made a substantial monetary donation to a Miami support center for LGBT teens and young adults that was on the verge of being shut down due to lack of funding.

Stark industries stocks have raised over 80% in the last week since the announcement was made public. It is unlikely a coincidence.

The public seems to be torn on this issue of Stark's sexuality. Is he serious this time, or is it just another fling? Stark Industries' CEO, and Tony Stark's personal secretary, Virginia Potts was asked for her opinion on the situation. "He seems happier than he has a long time", was all that Ms. Potts had to say on the matter. Stark himself mentioned that he felt it has been, "the healthiest relationship I've ever had."

Either way Tony Stark is...

* * *

Tony sat the newspaper aside and looked up at Fury. "I don't see why I need to explain my sex life to you pop-eye." He snapped.

"You do when I have some very frightening suspicions of who your boyfriend is." Fury replied, leveling him with a glare that would have been intimidating if Tony ever balked under pressure.

"Why don't we skip this whole conversation and I just tell you that no, I'm not 'compromised'. I am not insane, suicidal or an idiot. I also do not have brain damage, though that one might be debatable taking into consideration the concussion I had after Doom blew my tower to hell." Tony told him, the words dripping with ire. "Also, not that it matters to you, but I'm happier than I have been in ages and fucking amazing sex is only half the reason."

"We will be keeping an eye on you." Fury hissed. "You can go."

"Oh? Only one. Well, I guess you only _have _one, right? Fine. But I need a little help with something first. That's why I showed up in person instead of just dealing with this BS over the phone. I mean, I figured I'd be straightforward instead of just hacking your database and taking what I needed." Tony retorted and discreetly folded the newspaper to fit in his briefcase. He'd have to show Loki, his reaction would probably be adorable.

"Loki and I have a job from the All-Mother to find and apprehend an Asgardian named Amora. Apparently she's some kind of enchantress and has been hiding out here for some time. The only info we have to go on is that she's got some congressman wrapped around her finger with some sort of space voodoo love spell and has been using him as a sugar daddy to live like the queen of England. Apparently the guy's married, but I haven't found any kind of tabloids about a congressmen involved in a cheating scandal lately. We've got nothing, basically. I was wondering if SHIELD knows anything about her." Tony told Fury, pulling at a loose string on his shirt cuff boredly.

"I haven't got a clue about the congressman she's milking. But Thor mentioned her name once. Apparently she's tried and failed repeatedly to get in his pants. But that's all I've got. She's keeping her head down if she is here. Which is something to worry about. Supervillains are bad enough without having the brains to stay off the radar." Fury said thoughtfully. "I'll have Barton and Romanov do some digging."

* * *

Loki paced the helicarrier deck in boredom while he waited for Tony to finish speaking with the man of Fury. The SHIELD agents scattered about paid him no mind. Some gave him scrutinizing glances, but none of them spoke to him. He didn't really want to come, but being left alone in the mansion in Malibu got boring after the first few times. He'd once tried to sneak into Tony's workshop, but his computerized butler had not allowed him access. Loki could have easily forced his way in or used magic to confound the digital locks, but that would be a gross breach of trust. He couldn't help but be amused by the fact that Stark trusted him enough to tie him up and give him a good beating, but not enough to let him into his workshop.

Loki was all about messing with people's heads. Mind games were his forte and nothing made his day like the look of hurt and fury on the face of someone who'd been foolish enough to trust him. Well, relatively. No one really trusted him. Stark did, and he was the only one other than Thor that Loki truly believed to _actually _trust him. He didn't want to ruin it, either. It might just kill him to see the bitterness of betrayal in Tony's soft brown eyes.

He'd gotten better at keeping his conflicted emotions in check. Part of him wanted to throw his caution to the four winds and give himself to Tony - body and soul. But, the rational side of him knew too much pain and betrayal. It reminded him not to let his heart rule and that it could never be anything but the sex. But the thing was, whenever his thoughts strayed down that path all it took to banish them was a smile from Tony, or the feeling of his fingers on his skin.

He gave up resisting after the morning that he'd asked Tony to hold him. He was still mortified about it, but the mortal hadn't mentioned it. Of course not. He knew how Loki felt. He knew he needed the comfort, whether he felt like talking about it or not. He'd woken Stark during such dreams himself a few times in the past week. It was an unspoken rule for both of them not to ask. Being there was enough.

"So, you haven't killed each other yet. That's actually surprising and I owe Steve five bucks." Loki turned around from the metal railing he had been leaning on as he looked down at the Hudson bay beneath them. Bruce Banner was there behind him with his hands tucked into the pockets of the shabby looking lab coat he was wearing. He knew this man housed the green beast that had given Stark Tower's penthouse a very efficient floor remodeling with his face. Suddenly, he felt a bit nervous. Not because he thought Bruce could actually cause him any permanent harm, but because he and Tony were close friends and fighting with him would undoubtedly make Tony angry.

"You knew?" He asked, curiously but with no small amount of caution.

"Clint told me. Steve doesn't know, probably for the better. His Christian morals and 1940's mentality probably wouldn't abide by it. He's Tony's problem." Bruce commented calmly. "Either way, at first I got a bit green and very nearly destroyed the helicarrier. But seeing Tony lately, I think maybe you aren't such a bad thing for him."

"You do not despise me on principal like the others, then?" Loki inquired pointedly. It was more of a statement that a question though, and the fact that Bruce was even speaking to him was rather interesting – if not unlikely. Bruce shrugged and stood next to him to look down at the statue of liberty barely visible beneath them.

"I read your file, about the incident in New Mexico." The doctor said simply. "And made Thor explain the whole frost giant thing to me. What I gathered from it that was two things. One: Thor means well but he is horribly naïve, ignorant and probably couldn't actually fathom what discovering your true heritage meant to you to save his life. Two: I think I can safely say that I can understand how you must feel about that. ...Being considered a monster by the society that you're meant be a part of, I mean. I know how that feels."

Loki stayed silent for a moment. His mind screamed to tell him that he knew nothing of it, instead he controlled himself and pondered it rationally. Yes, it made sense. He knew Bruce's story. Or, at least he did now. Clint had told him when he'd made him his thrall, but Loki's only solid memories of his time under Thanos control were of the moments before it was broken. In other words, the only thing he could remember clearly of the Chitauri invasion was Tony threatening him and offering him a drink. Oh, and commenting about performance issues – but that particular topic was not likely to _ever _arise again. There were other snatches of hazy memories, though, like Barton teaching him to drive and telling the crowd in Stuttgart to kneel before him.

Either way, Tony had explained how the hulk came to be one day the week before, after Loki's curiosity got the better of him and he finally asked.

He did understand, he must, Loki reasoned. The part about being a monster, anyway. It was worse for Bruce. Loki at least still was himself in his Jotun form and had full control of it. Bruce had the sense not to attack his allies and not much else. From what Tony said, he often only had small bits of memories of time spent as the hulk as well. He could kill someone he cared about by accident and not even remember it.

"I believe you." Loki said simply. "Though that is only part of Asgard's many injustices against me. Whatever the case may be, you at least have a place that you belong."

"You can change that. It wasn't always this way for me. I spent years being hunted. I never would have imagined being a part of something like this, or ever being accepted again. I'm just saying it's not your skin that makes you a monster but your actions. Trust is hard to regain once it's lost, but not impossible. It's never too late to change." Bruce said kindly. "I have work to catch up on, but if you should ever need my help on your jobs for the All-Mother, call me."

"...I might, actually." Loki replied as Bruce turned to leave. "We are trying to locate an Asgardian sorceress here in Midgard who has something of a criminal record possibly on par my own in our realm. She has a thrall by the name of Skurge that is likely with her. ...The green beast might be the only thing in this realm that may be able to give him some trouble."

Bruce chuckled and smiled slightly. "Green beast? I actually kind of like that one. Have Tony let me know when you're going to make a move and I'll do what I can to help."

"Thank you." Loki said somewhat surprised. He had not expected Bruce's kindness and understanding. If nothing else, he felt horrible for loathing him with no good reason. He could hardly imagine what Thanos had made him do to provoke him. The man seemed to be unerringly calm.

"You're welcome." Bruce said absently and left.

Not long later, Tony joined him. Well, more like swooped up behind him like a ninja and placed a soft kiss on the startled demigod's cheek. Tony didn't even want to know what had him so distracted.

"Banner will help us take care of Skurge if need be." Loki said meaningfully. Tony raised his eyebrows.

"Had a heart to heart with Brucey, eh?" He asked nonchalantly and rested his hand on top of Loki's where he had it on the metal railing in front of him. Loki nodded but said nothing. "Anyway, awesome. Shall we go? I've got some plans for tonight. ...Involving the bed in my private jet, some handcuffs and a can of whipped cream."

Loki licked his lips as he imagined it. "What is whipped cream?" He asked suddenly. Tony laughed heartily and slapped his ass playfully.

"Something we're going to have a lot of fun with later. Trust me."

_Trust him. Yes, I can do that. Somehow._


	19. Chapter 19

**Warning:** NSFW m/m sexual content that I had way more fun writing than I should have. Also very light bondage.

* * *

**Chapter 19: Whipped Cream**

* * *

"I don't see the point in this, I can easily break these bindings or change my shape to escape." Loki commented questioningly. Tony had chained his hands and feet to the posts of the king sized bed in his private jet. He rather liked the little private bedroom. It wasn't as gaudy as his room in the mansion. It was sleek and modern like most of Stark Tower. ...Which Pepper assured him was being rebuilt exactly as it had been before Doom's attack. He was sure he'd find _something _out of place.

"That isn't the point. Besides, let's face it - I pretty much can't do anything to cause you real pain or _actually_ restrain you. I've got some ideas, but we'll have to talk about that. For now, just play along." Tony replied. "Your safeword is the same as always – Magpie. Though, I'm pretty sure you aren't going to want anything about this to stop any time in the foreseeable future."

"I shall take your word for it." Loki commented as Tony tied a green satin blindfold behind his head. He licked his lips predatorily at the sight of Loki sprawled across the center of his bed.

"All right, darling, three rules for you to follow: Don't make a sound, Don't move an inch, and don't you dare come until I tell you you're allowed to." Tony told him firmly.

"As you wish, though how exactly do you intend to punish me for any misbehavior if you cannot cause me any pain without that armor of yours?" Loki asked, smirking. Tony sat on the bed and ran his fingers through Loki's hair that was now well past his shoulders in length.

"Oh, I have a few ideas." Tony replied suggestively. "Now, shut up. And be relatively patient because I've never done what I'm about to do before, even if I've been on the receiving end more times than I can count."

Tony took his sweet time getting undressed. Loki was already half hard, dragging it out would only make it more intense. After all, if Tony knew anything, it was that moment of perfect anticipation before a kiss that made it feel good. Sure, the actual act was nice, but something about those few seconds of expectation could be arousing as hell if played just right.

"You are officially the hottest slut I have ever shackled to this bed. Or any piece of furniture I have ever owned for that matter." Tony drawled as he took off his shirt and neatly folded it before putting it on the nightstand. He saw Loki's mouth curl into a smile. Tony removed his belt next and draped it over the foot board of the bed. He made an effort to unzip his pants loudly and watched Loki's cock twitch with interest as he let them fall from his hips with a soft thump as they hit the floor. They too were neatly folded and placed on top of his shirt. His blue silk boxers he left on for now.

Tony got into the bed and hovered over Loki with feline like movements. He carefully made sure not to touch the demigod as he settled above him. He bent over Loki's now fully erect shaft and blew a breath of hot air over the sensitive tip. He heard a very slight hitch in Loki's breathing and saw his muscles tense slightly, but he managed neither to move nor make a sound. He could sense Loki's frustration easily.

_This is going to be amusing._

Tony grabbed the whipped cream can he'd placed on the bed beside Loki earlier and shook it for a moment before spraying some of it on the very tip of Loki's cock. The god beneath him twitched and bit his lip. He still had no idea what whipped cream was. Tony was pretty sure it might be his favorite dessert garnish after this.

For a few seconds he simply watched Loki as the whipped cream started melting a bit and a single drop streaked down his shaft to pool on his balls. This time Loki choked back a moan. Tony had to admit, he was pretty damn good at keeping his mouth shut. Five seconds into this and odds are he would have been begging Loki to get the hell on with it because he couldn't take it anymore.

Tony leaned down and delicately licked the sweet cream off the tip of Loki's straining cock as well as where it dripped to, letting his tongue slide across the slit there for a second longer than necessary. He sprayed a trail of little dots of the cream from his bellybutton and again onto the tip of his erection. Tony licked each one clean until he arrived back at the shaft. He could see Loki holding his breath as he waited to feel his tongue on him again. Tony ignored it and applied more whipped cream in neat little peaks on top of Loki's nipples. The god let out the breath he was holding in a frustrated sigh. Tony chuckled quietly and lapped the cream from his nipples like a cat. He could feel the god's pulse as his heart raced. The thing that made this like a sickeningly sweet torture was the blindfold. Loki had no idea what was going to happen next. Again, playing on the anticipation.

What did happen next was Tony added another little peak of whipped cream to the base of his cock and let it drip down his balls. Loki panted in an effort to be silent as Tony leaned down and lapped it all up before he _finally_ licked it off the tip. He swirled his tongue around it experimentally, noticing the salty but not at all disgusting flavor of precum. _So this is what Loki tastes like... Not bad, really. _He parted his lips and sucked the tip gently.

Loki finally let out a small whimper and bucked his hips slightly – followed a string of words that had to be old Norse or Asgardian in origin. Even though Tony had no idea what it meant, he was damn sure it was some seriously dirty swearing. He'd broken two rules in one go and he knew it. And tony felt more than little smug about making him do it. Still, Enduring this treatment required patience. While Loki was insanely patient when it came to pretty much everything, he had no such reserves when it came to sex. He liked it rough, hard and fast. This was torture to the trickster.

"Uh oh, you are in trouble now..." Tony whispered in Loki's ear and climbed out of the bed. He sat in the chair and watched Loki in total silence for about ten agonizing minutes before the trickster finally cracked.

"Where is my punishment? Get it over with." He demanded.

"Nope, I'm the one running the show, babe. I get to make the calls. You broke the rules so you're being punished. I won't finish what I started until I feel like it. Which could be a while. Unless..." Tony teased and rubbed his own erection which was straining against the silk boxers he was still wearing.

"You... Utter bastard. I'll admit, this was rather inspired." Loki huffed and tugged lightly at the cuffs around his wrists. Tony laughed as he watched Loki squirm, trying to find some kind of friction without breaking his restraints. Eventually he caved and sighed angrily. "'Unless' what?" He finally asked.

"You'll have to beg." Tony said, smiling wickedly.

"I do _not _beg, Anthony." Loki snarled. _Insolent mortal! How dare he! I am a prince and rightful king! _He dragged his head across the pillow in an attempt to dislodge the blindfold. It was absolutely futile.

"That's why it's a punishment. Tell me what you want, in detail, and _beg _me to do it. And then I will." Tony assured him in a nonchalant tone. Loki might have been the more experienced of the two, but Tony had no small amount of tricks up his sleeve when it came to sex either.

After a few tense moments of silence, Loki finally spoke. "I want you to get your ass over here and swallow me whole. Then you will drink every drop of my seed – _every drop – _when you finally decide to let me come. Then, you will unchain me and I will take you as roughly as I can without causing any damage." Loki demanded.

"Oh, I like it when you talk dirty. A lot. Still, that's more like a set of orders, not begging. Try again. Also, I'm _finally _topping this time, remember? Hmm?" Tony said in a disgustingly cheerful tone. Loki swore again in the Aesir language.

"Fine. I wish for you do as requested earlier, _Anthony._ However, I would like you to take me and use me as you please. Ride me like a Stallion if it suits you. I mean a mare. Damn it. Enough! Get it done with; the waiting is destroying me!" The god growled.

"Begging pro-tip number one: Saying 'please' helps." Tony retorted. Loki moaned in annoyance and pent up lust. He could snap the chains and... _No. This is an interesting game of wills. _Even if he broke the chains he _still _wouldn't get his release unless he did it himself which was hardly satisfying.

"_Please_ finish." Loki said in a defeated tone.

"That's still not proper begging." Tony said with a smirk.

"You are trying my patience mortal! This is-! I hate you!" He shouted and whispered a string of curses to himself and finally gave in.

"I do not hate you. I need this. Please. Please touch me. _Anywhere_. I am begging you, just please for the love of the Norns _touch _me!" Loki whined and bucked his hips, but his throbbing member met only air. Tony silently added 'making a god beg me to fuck him' to this list of awesome shit he'd done that would probably kill him one day.

"Much better." Tony purred and got himself back into position. "You're allowed to be as noisy as you want now. I want to hear you moan." He added as he bent down to take Loki in his mouth.

He could get used to this. At first, he'd been a little squeamish about the idea of sucking a guy off, but it wasn't bad at all. Loki panting and gasping above him was almost enough to make him come in his boxers. If he'd learned anything so far, it was that Loki was _very_ vocal during sex. The lack of much noise from him right now was obviously because he was trying to be an ass and resist the urge to moan like a cat in heat. Either way, Tony liked this. It took a couple tries not to gag when he swallowed Loki to the hilt, but the size of him probably would have intimidated a porn star. Well, okay, probably not. But it was huge. Either way, he was glad Loki was able to keep himself from thrusting his hips to meet him. He must have recalled Tony's comment about not having done this before and had some shred of mercy.

Loki finally let out a low moan that was halfway to being a feral growl as Tony cupped his balls in his hand and massaged them. He could tell from the god's erratic breathing that he was close to his climax and obviously struggling to maintain control. Maybe this was his first time giving a blowjob, but Tony sure as hell had gotten enough of them to have some idea of a good technique. He sucked him hard until he felt Loki start to tremble, and heard the faintest little whimper. _How adorable._

"You've been good. You're allowed to come." Tony stopped for a moment to say. Loki sighed in mindless relief as Tony continued. It didn't take long until Loki convulsed in ecstasy and cried Tony's name in abandon. As promised, he swallowed every last drop of Loki's essence and licked his lips thoughtfully as he savored it.

"You know, being able to reduce a god to this is an amazing ego trip." Tony commented as he unlocked the cuffs around Loki's ankles.

"You need practice, my pet." Loki said, but the words were full of contentment and without the slightest trace of venom.

"I have a good teacher." Tony replied honestly as he spread lube on his fingertips and prodded lightly at Loki's entrance. Loki made an approving sound. Tony wasn't sure if it was in response to his compliment or ministrations. Honestly, he didn't care which. As he worked, Loki was already fast becoming hard again. Tony may or not may not have been slightly jealous of his insane amount of libido and stamina.

"Enough! Just take me!" Loki groaned after a while. He'd never admit it, but he was mindlessly angry and appreciative at the same time that Tony had managed to figure how his mind worked when it came to sex so easily. Really, though. He was going to just _die _if he kept dragging it out like this – even if it did make it feel _so _much better when he finally obliged.

"Beg." Tony said sweetly and threw his boxers carelessly across the room.

"Fuck you." Loki muttered and threw his head back against the pillows. Tony had left his hands chained. It took everything he had to resist the urge to snap them, throw Tony down on the bed and ride his cock like his life depended on it. He had to admit, the mortal knew how to tease a lover well. Admittedly, that was a very important and useful skill in the bedchamber.

"Picking up my foul Midgardian slang are we?" Tony said with a chuckle. "I _like _that. But, you should have said 'Fuck _me_'."

"Please Fuck me, Anthony." Loki said in a flat tone. There was utter silence for a moment before both the god and the engineer burst into laughter.

"I... really said that. I cannot believe myself." Loki whined as Tony removed the blindfold. He blinked as his emerald eyes adjusted to the afternoon sunlight.

"Say it again and I will." Tony demanded and nipped Loki's bottom lip with his teeth. Loki made a face.

"Will you please shut up and fuck me, Anthony?" Loki drawled, but grinned.

Tony took his lips in a fierce kiss and slid inside in one fluid movement. Loki sighed and wrapped his legs around Tony's waist when he finally broke the kiss. _Maybe he _can_ handle me as a woman_, Loki thought somewhat vacantly as Tony moved. Stark obviously knew what he was doing. Lazily, Loki opened his eyes and gazed up into Tony's brown ones.

_I must find a way to keep him... I cannot live without this, _Loki thought as Tony wrapped a hand around his cock and stroked it lightly. It wasn't that Stark was some kind of god in the bedroom. He was good, yes, but there was plenty of room for improvement. He supposed he was probably something of an expert where Midgardians were concerned, but unlike Loki he hadn't had over a thousand years of experience.

It was the fact that Stark accepted him, knowing who he was, that was undoing him.

Loki moved in Unison with Tony, never breaking their eye contact. Tony pounded Loki with all he had, loving the desperate mewling sounds the god made when he hit that spot in him just right. It hadn't crossed his mind before now that he didn't need to hold anything back when topping Loki. He couldn't hurt him if he tried, and the god liked it rough and dirty. He desperately hoped Loki might be in the mood for this more often.

Neither of them was clearly the dominate, obviously they both had an ego too huge to be anything but. It was a strange sort of balance of equal power and Tony quite liked that more than always having to be the one in control. The trickster cried out in bliss as Tony sped up the slow, even strokes on his shaft.

"Come for me." Tony demanded in a husky tone, seeing the lust clouding Loki's eyes. That did it. Loki gave up resistance and arched up into Tony as he tensed around Tony's cock and spilled himself in his hand. Tony followed, emptying himself inside of Loki with a load moan. Holding his position, even though he wanted to just collapse on top of the demigod, Tony made eye contact again with Loki. He examined the hand covered in Loki's release and sensually licked it clean.

"You are getting such a beating tomorrow for making me beg like that." Loki complained halfheartedly. Tony gave him his best shit-eating grin and unlocked the handcuffs before he snuggled up next to him.

* * *

**Notes:** That AWKWARD AS FUCK moment when you're writing slash porn at work during a slow afternoon, and your 100% straight MALE delivery guy has been reading it over your shoulder for ten minutes without you noticing.

...Then ever so quietly says 'I approve'. I just... LMFAO. Thank god I have about as much shame as Tony Stark.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20: A Possible Solution**

* * *

It didn't take long for Clint and Natasha to find Amora. Tony was begrudgingly impressed that they'd actually done it. ...And relatively disgusted that Jarvis hadn't found anything, because Tony Stark doesn't get beat by a couple of shady spies. Apparently she was using a false identity – Amy Morris. That should have been obvious. Either way, she was hiding out in New Jersey with Skurge and her pet congressman.

Tony was not looking forward to facing Skurge. The photo Natasha showed him was right on the money with Loki's description. He was bigger than Thor, and looked like a giant, bald-headed, axe wielding not-green hulk. Still, Skurge had an axe. Tony had lasers.

Lasers beat axes, right?

Bruce was coming, no ifs, ands or buts.

Oddly enough, Thor showed up too. Frigga and Heimdall must have been watching. Loki was anything but happy about that, but didn't say a word. Tony, however, thought the thunderer would be an excellent distraction for Skurge.

They were kind of a motley crew. Two demigods, a doctor housing a giant green rage monster and the billionaire ex-playboy – all packed together in a SHIELD quinjet that Clint was flying. They landed at a SHIELD base in Washington DC, where the congressman was for the weekend. Amora was likely to be nearby, as Loki had explained that the type of magic she was using to enthrall the wealthy politician had a minimum effective distance of a few miles. If she let him wander too far from her, the spell would be broken and he'd come to his senses.

"So, I don't see any hot alien enchantresses around." Tony complained and leaned against a terracotta retaining wall in the garden belonging to the congressman's vacation home in the capitol. Getting inside had been easy. Between Clint and Loki's expert stealth tactics, the entire security patrol was unconscious and locked in the pool house that was bigger than most middle class homes. Loki had even cast a spell that would ensure no one would hear them when they woke up – no matter how loudly they screamed.

They hadn't encountered Skurge or Amora yet.

"Stay here. I will search the mansion. Deal with Skurge – he is the real threat. Amora relies on trickery and nasty little love spells. Neither will get very far with me. Any of you getting near her could be a liability, however." Loki told the group, a plan already forming in his mind. He needed to be alone with Amora, and this was probably his only chance.

"Skurge is nearby. I can sense his presence. Wait for me to go inside, then cause a distraction to draw him out."

"If you take longer than an hour, I'm going looking for your ass!" Tony hissed through the speakers of the slightly modified Mark 42 suit. The Valkyrie was far from complete, so he'd fixed this one up in case he got caught with his pants down – be that literally or figuratively.

"Very well." The god replied noncommittally. _That is good enough, _he added mentally. He broke the lock on the back door to the mansion rather than using magic to spring it. Amora would be able to sense his magic a mile away and flee. He needed to speak to her.

He couldn't let her run.

_She is my only chance to find a way to keep him. Consequences be damned._

Moving through the mansion was easy. It was gaudy, looked like a royal relic out of the Victorian era, and was filled with all manner of pointless trinkets and décor – which meant it had lots of little nooks bathed in shadow for Loki to hide in. He incapacitated three security guards on his way through the main floor before heading up the stairs. He very nearly blew his cover when he walked right into a guard that had the sense to keep to the shadows. Loki was faster, though. He slapped a hand over the man's mouth and jabbed his thumb into the mass of nerves at the base of his neck. The guard fell to the floor in an unconscious heap without a sound.

He strained to sense Amora's presence but felt nothing. He would need to use magic to make that work. She was hiding from Heimdall just like he was, he realized. It was necessary for Loki to hide from the gatekeeper's view because of taking out enemies like Amora. If he wasn't cloaked – she would have known he was in here by now. Whatever the case, it gave him an advantage. If he struck a deal with her, it would be strictly between the two of them and they could make it look like she escaped.

So she too had mastered the art of masking her location as well. _Smart._ That was why Odin hadn't sent the Einjerjar to take care of her ages ago. They didn't know where she was. He'd have to do it the old fashioned way.

One room at a time.

...Which was an absolute waste of his precious time before Stark came running and ruined his only chance at immortality. Not that he would blame him. He had no idea, and Loki knew he wouldn't accept any kind of plan that involved negotiating with a criminal. He had to find a way alone. It was his burden to bear.

Amora was not in the master bedroom, guest bedrooms, trophy room or drawing room. Nor was she in the living room, kitchens or any of the twelve bathrooms. Loki had spent almost his entire hour, and now only one room remained. Cautiously, he turned the handle on an elaborate oaken door leading to a huge library. He would have swooned at the sight of all the antique books had the first thing he laid his eyes not been the enchantress herself. She was seated at one of the large oval mahogany claw-footed reading tables in the center of the room. Her luscious blonde hair was tied into a long braid and she seemed to be wearing a simple violet hued Midgardian summer dress. She had her back to him and didn't hear him enter. Perfect.

Quickly, Loki cast a spell that would keep Skurge from hearing her call to him as well as trap her in the room. The trapping one was probably only good for about twenty seconds before she figured it out, but it would give him time enough to give her an ultimatum. Hopefully.

"You!" She hissed and bolted upright, kicking the chair out from under her as she did. She noticed Loki the second he cast the first spell, but she wasn't fast enough to avoid the second. "Norns be damned." She swore and glared at him.

"Listen, I would speak with you." The trickster said as she watched his movements like a caged animal. He could sense her already beginning to dismantle the entrapment spell.

"Then speak before I kill you where you stand." Amora spat. Loki sincerely doubted she could if she tried her hardest, but still, he chose caution.

"I will you offer this one chance to evade Odin if you will help me. I need a way to give a Midgardian the immortality of an Aesir. Find a way, and I will leave, take my allies with me and keep them off your tail – at the sacrifice of failing this mission to return you to Asgard. ...And any future orders to capture you. Of course, you'll have to leave this behind but you can always start over." Loki explained quickly and matter of factly.

"The only way I know of is one of Idunn's apples." Amora said, raising her eyebrows. "Why do you desire this?"

"That is personal."

"Is it? Are you in love with a mortal?" Amora said, giggling like a child. Loki didn't answer. He didn't even really know the proper answer.

"Fine. I know of no other ways, but I can easily steal one of the apples for you." The enchantress said boredly and leaned against the table edge in a seductive manner. Loki ignored it entirely. She should know better – no woman's charms had ever worked on him and hers even less. Still, he gave her some credit for trying. Stark would be drooling.

"That won't work. Odin can still take that power away if he disagrees with it – which he will because it is me, and we both know he feels about _me._" Loki replied. "I need another way."

Amora sighed in annoyance and leveled Loki with a searching glare.

"Do you love this mortal? _Truly _love this mortal and have their unconditional love in return? If you do, then I know a way. You won't like it, but it will work and Odin won't be able to remove it." Amora explained.

"Tell me."

"It's an ancient spell, ancient even by Aesir standards. Though, it was actually invented by the elves. The long and the short of it is that it binds two people together, regardless of gender, race or age – willing or unwilling. To the elves it is still a sacred rite of passage. The Aesir used it as a way to make unwanted arranged marriages work, but about a thousand years ago it was outlawed along with all spells that manipulate free will." Amora explained, hesitantly.

"Why would it matter if I love this person if it can manipulate their will?" Loki asked, curiously. This was magic he'd never heard of; it was certainly interesting.

"Because if you already have that kind of relationship, it won't affect you that way. The mortal's life span will match yours, or you could choose to be mortal. It's likely they'll inherit some of your ability to wield magic, too. Basically, it binds your very souls together into one. Your lives, emotions and even your thoughts will be tied together. It is extremely intimate – too intimate for most. If you perish, they will die along with you. The same will happen to you if they are killed. If that person, or you, are not wholly committed to this, the psychological damage it could, no _will_, cause is immense." The Enchantress told him warily.

"Let's face it Loki, you are not the most mentally stable person. I am saying that as a fact, not an insult. This is not a good option for you."

"But it is the only option you know of?" He asked, ignoring her comment about his lack of sanity for the time being.

"Yes."

"There is something you aren't telling me." Loki pressed. She nodded.

"You will not be able to be far from this person. You will need to be together at all times. Forcing yourselves apart causes physical pain and can literally kill you. It will lessen with time, but for a few months you probably will not be able to tolerate being more than thirty or so feet from each other. There's also no way to remove it without killing yourselves. It is permanent, and will last as long as you both live." Amora added, obviously trying to keep a straight face. She couldn't imagine Loki shackled to someone in that manner any more than the trickster himself could.

"Can you teach me this spell? Have I the power to cast it?" Loki inquired. He wasn't ready for that kind of commitment, and didn't even really think he knew what love actually felt like, but perhaps in time...

"Yes, but you cannot cast it on yourself." Amora replied, surprised he was even considering it.

"Fine. I will let you go, for now. I will think on this. I at least wish to know the name of this magic so I can do my own research." Loki replied.

"You... Really are insane." Amora said shaking her head. "The rite of Linwe. It is sometimes simply called an eternal bond, or a soul bond."

"Very well. We have to make this look good. I hate to lower myself to this, but have at me. They won't believe you eluded me unless I have at least a few bruises to show for it." Loki said shamefully. _Just how far am I willing to go for this madness?_

"By the nine... You are actually serious. As you wish. For obvious reasons I am not going to tell you where I am, but you will be able to find me when, or if, the time comes." The enchantress replied and summoned her magic. Trusting her was as foolish as telling Thor to put his stupid hammer down, but he didn't have a choice.

* * *

Let Loki look for Amora? Yeah, that was fine. Get Skurge's attention? Well, alright. If you say so. Try to distract Skurge and not get killed?

Tony and the others could have done without that one.

Clint_ just_ managed to avoid being decapitated by the bald-headed behemoth Asgardian's axe as he swung it in his direction. Thor got thrown through the stone wall surrounding the property. Mjolnir was lying in a flower bed behind Skurge. Tony didn't manage to avoid the axe and took a nasty hit right to the chest. Luckily, it didn't damage the arc reactor, but he was sure he had a couple broken ribs. The Mark 42's chest plate was as good as totaled. Bruce had hulked out and was having some kind of epic arm wrestling match, but wound up thrown bodily into the huge swimming pool. …All of this happened in the first five minutes of the battle.

Tony hung back, fighting with Jarvis who was insisting to power down the damaged suit. Clint's ability to dodge and the hulk's sheer strength managed to keep Skurge occupied for a decent amount of time. Thor came half limping back into the fray and whacked Skurge clear over the head with Mjolnir. He was stunned momentarily, but it didn't seem to do any real damage.

"Jesus Christ. How the hell is he so strong?" Tony said mostly to himself as he powered up the unibeam, ignoring Jarvis' repeated warning of 'This is inadvisable, sir!'. The blast hit the executioner square in the gut and sent him flying through the concrete wall behind him. He made a slightly larger than Thor shaped hole.

"Powering down, Mr. Stark." Jarvis said as the HUD inside the Mark 42's helmet flickered bright red.

"No! Don't you dare! Jarvis!" Tony cried, but lost power anyway. He barely managed to get one of the gauntlets off in order to activate the manual releases before he staggered under the armor's dead weight and collapsed near the door Loki had entered. He got out of the armor quickly and hid inside of a bush clutching his sore chest. It was good timing, considering Skurge came running back into the fray, using his axe to hack down an entire section of wall as he did. It least it looked like the unibeam did some damage since his armor was burnt and smoldering. Just as he raised his axe to the hulk, a violent explosion blew half of the entire top floor of the mansion to hell. Even Tony stuck his head out of the bush to look and Skurge dropped the axe in surprise as debris rained down around them.

"Fool!" They heard a female voice yell and saw a beautiful blonde-haired woman hovering magically above the wreckage. "Let this be a lesson to you! _Never _attempt to cross me again, Loki! If you do, I will paint Asgard's throne with your blood!"

"You cannot run forever!" They heard Loki shout from somewhere inside the now burning wreckage of the top half of the mansion.

"Running and self-preservation are not the same thing. Skurge my love, let us be away from here – leave them." Amora said sounding bored. Skurge obeyed immediately and trotted in Amora's direction like a well-trained dog as she lowered herself the ground beside him. Clint raised his bow and the hulk advanced somewhat uncertainly.

"Thou shalt not escape, vile enchantress!" Thor roared and threw Mjolnir in her direction. She smiled wanly at him as she and her pet vanished into thin air. Mjolnir crashed through the wall that had been behind Amora before Thor called it back to him.

"Damn it!" Clint hissed and lowered his bow. "What the fuck?"

"…Loki!" Tony gasped and made a dash for the open door to the mansion.

"I am over here." Tony stopped and turned to see the demigod stagger slightly as he walked in his direction from where he'd apparently teleported out of the mansion. He looked like hell. Half of his leather jacket was burnt clean off and one of the horns on his helmet had the tip cracked off. He took it off and looked at it somewhat angrily.

There was also a nasty burn on his face and blood pooling at his feet from a wound in his side. He dropped the helmet and clutched the wound as he fell to his knees panting. _Bitch. This is not a few bruises,_ he thought to himself as Tony and Thor ran to his side.

"It… will heal in a few hours." Loki said with some effort and passed out on Thor's shoulder.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: Liar**

* * *

"You'll need to take it easy for a while, Tony." Bruce said as he'd finished examining the engineer's three badly bruised, but thankfully not broken ribs in the infirmary of the Washington SHIELD base. Tony leaned back in the chair he was sitting in with a grimace. He glanced over to Loki who was still unconscious in a bed near him. Thor had needed to carry him back. Loki was a hell of a lot heavier than he looked.

Bruce had come up with some kind of long-winded dense tissue theory as an explanation. The only thing Tony got out of it was that it had something to do with his super human strength and muscle mass. He probably would've known exactly what Bruce was talking about if his mind hadn't been elsewhere.

"Yeah, no shit." Tony replied after a while. "I'm half hoping Amora takes a permanent trip to Narnia or something because I never want to fight that guy again. He makes Thor and the other guy look like puppies."

"I agree. Loki wasn't exaggerating about his strength." Bruce said and followed Tony's glance to the unconscious demigod. "Something smells kind of funky here, though."

"So you noticed too?" Tony commented. "Tell Fury this and I'll kill you, but I don't think Loki _wanted_ to capture her. I mean, I have no idea how his mind works, honestly. But something's really been distracting him lately. He seems depressed."

"And you didn't ask him what's bothering him?" Bruce said incredulously.

"Well, no. I didn't." Tony admitted sheepishly.

"Tony, you suck at relationships." Bruce groaned. "Seriously."

"So I've been told. But the odds of getting struck by lightning are probably better than Loki actually telling me until he decides he wants to." The inventor said with a slightly annoyed tone.

"Considering how much time we spend with the god of thunder, I'd say the odds are pretty good." Bruce retorted with a hint of smirk.

"Touché."

"You also have flown around in enough thunderstorms to -"

"I get it Bruce. I'll try asking when he wakes up." Tony snapped.

Bruce shook his head and left Tony alone with the unconscious god. True to his word, Loki's injuries were already mostly healed by the time they got back to the base. Bruce had opted to just leave him alone, other than cleaning the nastier open wounds and trying to make him as comfortable as possible while his magic did its work.

As if he knew Tony was watching him, Loki's eyelids fluttered as he slowly came awake. He blinked a few times and looked up at the plain white ceiling. Carefully he pressed his hand against the deep wound in his left side that someone had bandaged tightly. He winced and let his hand fall to the bed. _That is not right. It should have healed. _

"Hey, look at this. Sleeping beauty is finally awake." Loki turned his head to see Stark sitting in a chair next to him. _He stayed with me?_

"Bambi? How are you feeling?" Tony pressed. Loki let out an irritated sigh and closed his eyes.

"I have been better. But also much worse." Loki replied after a time. "Where are we?"

"The infirmary in Washington's SHIELD base. Where we landed before we went after Amora." Tony explained. "Speaking of which..."

"She caught me by surprise."

"You let her escape." Tony said at exactly the same time.

Loki gave Tony his best menacing glare but faltered when his position put too much pressure on his wound. He immediately relaxed back into the pillows. _Why did she do this to me?_

"This wound needs to be properly treated." Loki said in what he knew was a futile attempt to change the subject. "For some reason it is not healing on its own."

"Fine, I'll get Bruce. But first tell me why you let her escape." Tony demanded.

"I did no such thing." The trickster snapped.

"Look, you're the god of lies. I get that. But I'm not blind or completely oblivious. I know something's been bothering you lately. I just didn't ask because, well, I knew you wouldn't tell me. So now I'm asking. And I couldn't care less if you talk Fury into believing he has pink tentacles for hair, but please at least tell _me_ the truth. Is that too much to ask?" Tony ranted, trying not to make it sound like he was angry with him. He wasn't really. He was worried. Tony Stark, worried about the well-being of another person.

The Capsicle would be beside himself.

"I Let Amora go because her magic is the only way anything can ever come of this bond we share other than sex. She is no less treacherous than I am, but trusting her is the only way. She owes me a debt at least – that should count for something." Loki answered after a long, uncomfortable pause.

"Ok. So, how does she determine anything to do with our relationship?" Tony asked, confused. All this space voodoo nonsense was starting to drive him up a wall.

"You are a mortal. I am not. Allowing myself to become too attached to you would be masochistic at best." Loki explained.

_Ouch._

"I have thought of that... a bit. But you could have asked me about this. I mean, what if I don't want to be immortal? And wait, she has the power to do that?" Tony asked. He wasn't particularly hurt by the lack of trust, he knew better by now. He knew what it really meant was that Loki was afraid of doing something that would push him away.

"Not her specifically, but a spell she knows. Your desire is a non-issue. I could choose to be mortal." Loki explained, obviously with some effort to keep his composure, let alone say the words at all.

"You would do that?"

"Right now, at this moment in time – no. It would sooner rain in Jotenheim. But if it a later date, and I was absolutely certain of my feelings for you with no other options... Yes, I would do that." The god, somewhat miserably. "Though, I would prefer to retain my immortality. I do not relish the idea of becoming mortal. That would be the same thing as someone telling you that you have mere days left to live."

"Well, if I had mere days left to live... Actually, you can ask Fury or Pepper about that if you want a laugh. I'm surprised I didn't start World War III while I was dicking around trying to make the best of it." Tony said lightheartedly. Loki didn't show the slightest hint of a smile and seemed for all the world to be pointedly ignoring him. "In any case, neither one of us is ready to make a decision or commitment like that now. We'll handle that when we get there."

_If we get there. _

"I do not desire to discuss this any further. Please get a healer, my magic will not heal this wound." Loki demanded tiredly.

Tony left to get Bruce, he knew trying to push Loki was never a good idea. At least now he had some kind of idea what was going on in his mind. But, at the same time, it only raised more questions.

Was he willing to make that kind of a commitment at all? Did he even know _how _to be committed? Well, that last one was a definite no. The only person he'd ever actually thought he'd fallen in love with was Pepper.

_Love. _

Tony Stark didn't do love. He did womanizing and awesome sex.

But this was entirely different.

Pepper and Loki had something in common where Tony's emotions were concerned, though, and he'd been trying not to think about it for some time.

Seeing Loki smile did things to him that just threw him for a loop. And the mindless, consuming fear that Loki might have been killed somehow in the explosion at the mansion had overwhelmed him. Tony was impulsive as fuck; that he knew. But he wasn't suicidal. So what was it that made him ready to bolt inside a burning building without his armored suit or a half a second's hesitation? Tony had no idea. All he knew was that if Loki hadn't appeared behind him, he would have and wouldn't have stopped until he either got himself killed or found Loki.

It was the same when he'd tried to call Pepper during the invasion. When she didn't answer her phone, he assumed the worst and all sense of reason utterly left him. He didn't care if he died throwing that stupid nuke into the portal. If she was still alive, it was the only way to protect her. If she wasn't... Could he even live without her? He hadn't thought of New York or anyone else at that moment – only Pepper.

Tony shook his head and wandered out into the cafeteria. Bruce was there chatting with Steve and Thor. Apparently Cap was in Washington on SHIELD business. Silently, Tony sat down in a chair beside Steve and waited for them to notice him. The thought crossed his mind of how very un-Tony Stark like it was. He didn't waltz in like he owned the place and make himself the center of attention. It felt like he was hiding. Hiding from what, though?

"You're needed in the infirmary, Big Guy." Tony finally said, when they finally noticed him. Bruce raised an eyebrow but left immediately. Tony made to follow, but Steve grabbed his sleeve and shoved him back into his chair as effortlessly as Loki might have. Tony glowered at him, but didn't say anything - even if Captain America wasn't all that impressive looking without his star spangled spandex. He looked just like anyone else wearing a pair of faded blue jeans and a tan plaid button-down.

"What's up Capsicle? It's been a while." Tony said. _Not since New York. _

It _had _been a while. They hadn't spoken since the invasion. That was probably for the best. Steve had no time for a billionaire playboy with no sense of responsibility, and Tony didn't feel like hanging out with the man that had made him feel inferior before he even knew what 'inferior' meant. If nothing else, Tony knew how Loki felt where Thor was concerned – and he was probably the only person on the entire SHIELD base that did.

"I wanted to ask you about Loki." He said intently.

_Oh great, Captain Chastity doesn't know. Please kill me._

"What about him? He just got his ass kicked by a girl so he's in a pretty shitty mood. I wouldn't go in there if you don't want to be chocked to death with your own spinal cord or something. He comes up with some pretty creative and most likely physically impossible death threats." Tony chattered. That probably should have been a warning sign right there if either Steve or the thunderer knew him well enough. Sure, Tony never shut up, but he didn't ramble like that unless he was nervous. He wondered if it would be considered awkward to chop his foot off and permanently lodge it in his mouth.

"Aye, my brother is very creative. But he also rarely puts forth that much effort in killing someone. Contrary to what he would have you think, Loki takes no pleasure in death." Thor commented, smiling.

"I don't know about that, and it isn't any of my business. But Stark... You're sleeping with him? Are you out of your mind?" Steve inquired with an angry tone.

"And that _is _your business?" Tony quipped sarcastically, and noticed he'd been playing with a ketchup packet the entire time. Like a child caught with something it shouldn't have, he dropped it and hid hands under the table. The gesture did not go unnoticed by the super soldier.

"Not really, but you aren't acting like yourself." Steve pressed.

"I was until a minute ago so Jesus Christ, will you fuck off already?" The engineer retorted bitterly.

"What happened then?"

"Nothing. Drop it."

"No. I will not drop it. What is your problem with me, Tony? Why can we not just have a civil conversation without it ending with a fight?" Steve asked in exasperation. Tony thought about it for a moment, and decided maybe he needed to get some of his own baggage off his chest. That and, well, fuck Steve's judgmental bullshit.

"Where do you want me to start? Your good Christian morals, or with the fact that I was never good enough for my own father because he cared more about some dead guy frozen in the ice somewhere than his own son? I could never be you! I grew up in your shadow, and nothing I did ever lived up to the expectations, no matter how hard I tried. At least Loki didn't have to fight for his family's attention with a fucking ghost." Tony half shouted, and then did get up and stalk back in the direction of the infirmary. Steve didn't stop him, he just stood there with his mouth hanging open in shock.

Steve knew what Tony was referencing about Loki's family. Thor had told them the whole story a few times. He'd never really understood it, nor did he ever imagine himself being in any way being compared to Thor and Loki's relationship. After all, what reason would there be?

"Was Howard really that obsessed with me?" He asked rhetorically. Thor shrugged and took a sip of his soda. He had become quite fond of the fizzy Midgardian beverage.

"I do not know of this Howard of which you speak." The thunderer commented. Steve just shook his head and found his way to the infirmary. He was pretty sure that was where Tony had gone. It hadn't been his intention to make him angry – he was worried about him.

* * *

"Why won't it heal?" Bruce asked Loki as he gently examined the sizable gash in his left side. Loki didn't dislike Bruce anymore, but he was hardly comfortable with this situation. Not that it was Bruce's fault. He wouldn't trust any Midgardian healer as far as he could throw them. Well, maybe that wasn't the best analogy – he could throw a Midgardian quite far with his strength.

"There is magic capable of preventing regenerative abilities. I would assume Amora did not want me to follow her. Given some time for this to heal, I could easily be on her trail by now. However, like this there is little I can do to find her. It will heal in time, but not as quickly as it normally would." _And it will leave a gruesome scar that no amount of shapeshifting or illusions will hide. _He added to himself mentally with a touch of anger and disgust.

There was an elven healer in Alfheim he'd have to go see to fix that.

_How inconvenient._

"If that's the case. I'll just have to fix you the best I can, then." Bruce said nonchalantly. "I sincerely doubt anything here is going to be strong enough to sedate you so... Bear with me. It's going to hurt."

_Nothing you can do to me will be half as painful as what I endured at the hands of the Chitauri, _he wanted to say.

"I have a high tolerance pain." Was what Loki actually said as he rolled onto his good side to make it easier for Bruce to work.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: Do you Love him?**

* * *

Bruce hadn't allowed Tony or Steve into the infirmary. Instead, they hovered outside the door. Tony was pacing like a caged animal and Steve watched him with mild interest. He'd never seen him act like this. Tony took everything in stride and made light of even the worst situations. The god of thunder stole our psychopath alien prisoner right out of the back of our quinjet? Cool. Let's go beat up him up and tell him off for taking our stuff. That was the Tony Stark that Steve knew. Not this man, who was obviously worried sick about Loki of all people. Honestly, the super soldier wasn't sure it was a bad change. ...Even if it had to be a nutcase, alien would be dictator that he cared so much about.

"Who are you and what have done with Tony Stark?" He asked. Tony stopped pacing and gave him an odd look.

"That's actually a pretty good question. I don't know. But right now I feel like some virgin in a chick flick that doesn't know his head from his ass. Like something out of a Leonardo DiCaprio Movie but gayer." Tony answered bluntly. The reality, was that the thought of commitment terrified him. It wasn't the usual thing men go through when they don't want to be metaphorically shackled to their wife. It was his paranoia. What if he gave himself, body and soul to Loki and the trickster decided he was bored and moved on? What if it was all a game to Loki? It didn't seem that way, but Tony had a hard time trusting. And Loki was nothing if not a mischievous, manipulative little shit.

"Do you love him?" Steve asked, curiously. Tony flopped against the wall and slid down onto his ass with a soft thump. If someone didn't know better, the look on Stark's face might have suggested that someone had just died. Steve sighed and sat down on the other side of the narrow hall across from him.

"Would you say that you loved someone that you've only really known for like two months? Isn't love something that you aren't allowed to acknowledge unless you're practically married?" Tony said mostly to himself.

"I knew Peggy for all of two seconds before I decided that I was completely obsessed with her." Steve replied, smiling fondly at the memories.

"Having a boner and falling in love aren't the same thing. Still, something like that coming from you sounds seriously out of character." Tony snapped.

"I know that, Stark." Steve remarked irritably. "I'm also not a fan of homosexuality, but I have no place judging others for what they feel is right."

"Hm." Tony mumbled and closed his eyes.

He was on the verge of a panic attack and this time he really had no idea why. It had only sunk in after he'd argued with Steve that Loki wouldn't have asked for a doctor if he didn't think the wound was serious. He was too prideful. He'd rather be miserable and in pain than let anyone think he was weak. Asking for help was the epitome of weakness in Loki's eyes. Tony was absolutely sure of that.

He needed to be in that room.

What moronic part of him had thought it was okay to leave Loki alone with Bruce?

He really was shit at relationships.

Just as he began getting to his feet, fully intent on forcing his way past the locked door, Bruce opened it. Tony stopped mid crouch and Steve looked up at him balefully.

"You two are still out here? Uh, well, you can go in now. I'm done. I need some coffee." He said and held the door open for Tony who was halfway though it as soon as 'you can go' was out of Bruce's mouth. Steve watched his antics with a smirk. Bruce raised his eyebrows pointedly.

"Leave them alone." He said to Steve and steered the super soldier back in the direction of the cafeteria in spite of his protests.

* * *

"Lokes? You awake?" Tony asked as he sat on the edge of Loki's bed. He was propped up on a pile of pillows and looked a little pale but seemed fine otherwise. He opened his eyes when he felt the bed move as Tony sat. He ignored him. Tony bit his lip. That was a bad sign. Loki only ignored him when he was being pissy about something. He had a nasty feeling that something was the fact that he hadn't been there with him.

"Loki. I'm sorry I wasn't here. Bruce wouldn't let me in and -" _Excuses. I'm just making excuses. _"I'm not very good at this whole relationship thing and I know you wouldn't have asked for help unless-"

"Please shut up." Loki said softly. Tony choked on his words and looked down at him. Loki regarded the engineer with a mixture of mild annoyance and pain in his expression, but not anger. Tony swallowed hard and nodded. "I am not angry. I am simply in a lot of pain so if you would please stop babbling like a scolded child trying to redeem itself, I would greatly appreciate it."

Well, that he could understand. But still... Tony reached under the blankets and held Loki's hand in a gesture of comfort. He really hoped he wasn't being an ass. Sympathy wasn't something he had any concept of expressing and he wasn't exactly sure the demigod would want it. Loki didn't say anything, he just closed his eyes and smiled slightly. Tony fought the urge to giggle like a little girl at the feeling of warmth that spread through him at seeing Loki smile.

_Do you love him?_ Steve's words echoed in his head.

Tony looked down at Loki who somehow looked rather uncharacteristically frail. If Tony didn't know better, he'd think the demigod was fast asleep. As gently as he could, he ran his fingers through Loki's silky hair. He opened his eyes lazily and gave Tony a somewhat questioning glance. Tony leaned over and kissed him softly. He barely managed not to swear like a sailor from the pressure it put on his sore ribs.

"I think I love you." He whispered. _And I think I'd die if I lost you._

"I do believe I have to come to care for you as well. ...What have you done to me, you infuriating mortal?" Loki replied after a long silence.

"How did this happen?" Tony whispered.

Loki chuckled and traced the lines in the palm of Tony's hand that was still loosely curled around his own lightly with his thumb. "I have been wondering that myself. The Norns have an odd sense of humor, apparently."

"Who are the Norns?" Tony asked.

"Goddesses who weave the threads of destiny." Loki replied cryptically.

* * *

"That was actually kind of adorable." Steve said awkwardly. Bruce just shrugged. Clint shook his head, and Thor literally had tears in his eyes.

They were all gathered around Clint's laptop in the now empty cafeteria which was streaming the security footage in the infirmary – complete with audio.

"I kind of wish Nat was here. She'd be doing that whole girly giggling and swooning thing, believe me." Clint commented and smiled. "I still hate the bastard, but I have to sympathize a bit. I mean, falling in love with an asshat like Tony has _got _to blow. That's got to be worse than being in the dungeons in Asgard, right?"

"Man of Iron will treat him well." Thor said proudly. The others looked at the demigod exploding with happiness and tried not to burst into hysterics. They were relatively successful except for Bruce who snorted into his coffee, and Fury who had just entered the room and laughed at the looks on their faces. The director had just arrived from new York after hearing about the fiasco with Skurge. Fury looked tired and harassed, Clint had a nasty feeling that council gave him hell over letting Amora get away.

"I have no idea what's going on here except that Amora escaped. But judging by the fact that Thor is crying tears of joy and you all look like you're trying not to giggle at a funeral – I think I need to know." The director of SHIELD said seriously and took a seat beside Clint who replayed the security footage.

"Mother of God." Fury said and shook his head. "Well. Keep that for the next time I need to blackmail Stark into behaving himself. And tell me about what went down and why I have to chase my tail trying to cover this shit up. At least the place having walls all around the property minimized witnesses that need to be paid to keep quiet."

"We got our asses handed to us by Skurge is what happened." Clint explained sheepishly.

"It wasn't pretty." Bruce admitted. Fury just shook his head. All of them turned at the sound the cafeteria door opening. Tony walked in, looking tired and overstressed but happy all the same. Thor was on him in an instant and smothered him in an epic bro-hug. Tony flinched and tried hopelessly to wiggle out of it.

"Thor! Bruised ribs! You're killing me!" Thor immediately let go and apologized profusely. Tony leaned back against the wall and tried to breathe. It wasn't the first time he'd bruised and/or broken a rib, but damn it still hurt like a son of a bitch.

"What the hell was that for, anyway?" He groused and sat gingerly beside Fury. His eyes fell to Clint's laptop that had the security footage open and paused. He felt his cheeks turn slightly pink and leaned forward against the table with a groan. ...Then he swore in five different languages when the edge of the table pressed on his sore ribs.

"I hate you all." Tony muttered.

* * *

A few days later – after Bruce made sure that Loki was healing, albeit at a normal human rate, he and Tony were back at the mansion in Malibu. Tony had managed to talk Bruce into staying there for a while because he had no idea how to take care of Loki and knew Pepper would want no part of it. It hadn't taken much convincing. Bruce was next to positive that Tony would probably kill him trying to change the bandages or something equally stupid. For all his genius, Tony sometimes had a severe lack of common sense. ...So, Bruce hadn't really argued.

Somehow, Pepper had seen the security footage from the SHIELD base and couldn't stop giggling when Tony walked into the mansion with Bruce and Thor who was carrying Loki. ...A very pouty angry Loki who looked like a viper poised to strike. ...Except that he could only walk with someone to lean on.

"Ugh. Whatever. Pepper, I'm home. Obviously." Tony said dismissively, ignoring her giggling and started up the stairs to his bedroom where Thor deposited Loki on the king size mattress. Pepper composed herself and followed them. Thor wished Loki well and left to return to Asgard, and Bruce wandered to the guest room on the second floor leaving Tony alone with Loki and Pepper.

"You've got an interview with People Magazine tomorrow." Pepper said apologetically. "They just wouldn't stop calling, so for the love of God just get it over with." Tony rolled his eyes and sat on the edge of the bed by Loki.

"You know there's only one god who loves me, and it's not that guy." Tony retorted, rolling his eyes. Loki chuckled quietly and shook his head. Stark was purposely trying to annoy Pepper and it was rather cute.

"Is it about the gay thing?" Tony asked irritably.

"Probably." Pepper replied, shrugging.

"Gay thing?" Loki asked curiously.

Tony got up and rifled in the drawer of the bedside table and tossed a folded up bit of newspaper in Loki's direction. He opened it and read it with interest. It was the article from the Times announcing Tony's coming out of the closet that he'd sort of stolen from Fury.

"Really, Rudolph? Don't you watch the news?" Tony groused. As usual, Loki ignored his sarcasm and read the article in silence.

"Oh please, not that ridiculous article." Pepper whined. "It hardly does you two any justice. Though I suppose It's less biased and asinine that what's been on TV."

"The only way the tabloids could do us any justice was if they knew who I'm with. And all things considered, that's probably not an awesome idea where either of us are concerned." Tony said with a sigh.

Loki ignored both of them as he read over the article a second time. He made a small sound of amusement and handed the paper back to Tony. So the people of this realm referred to homosexuals as 'gay'. _Interesting. _He supposed it was better than the way the way Aesir viewed the concept. Still, to choose a name with the general meaning of happiness as the definition... _Midgardians really are curious creatures._

"I agree with Anthony. I would rather not be known to the entire realm as the notorious playboy's newest toy." Loki said with a hint of a smile. "Though, Thor said such things are accepted as normal in this realm, so why is it worth reporting in the news?"

Tony shrugged and flopped onto the bed.

"Something to gossip about; people like that." Pepper replied in a most likely hopeless attempt to explain humans and their interest in celebrities.

"By people she means hormonal teenage girls and bitter middle-aged housewives who never get laid." Tony elaborated dully.

"I see. It must be similar to the way almost every female thing in Asgard throws itself at Thor's feet when he is nearby." Loki drawled, looking bored. Tony laughed at the image and Pepper just shook her head, obviously Loki had more of an understanding of the concept of celebrity worship than she thought.

"I have work to do. Don't be late for the interview." Pepper said and left.

Tony decided not to dignify that with a response. Fuck that pointless interview, he had a suit to build.

* * *

**Notes:** Just wanted to let you know that this is going to start getting a little AU in the next few chapters. ...Since everything to do with Amora's spell and Alfheim's history is entirely a product of my imagination. :3


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes:** From this point on, anything italicized and in quotes is Tony and Loki speaking telepathically. They can hear each other's thoughts at all times (you'll know when that changes), but italic stuff in quotes is specifically a conversation.

I went through and did a lot of proofreading on older chapters, so any mistakes should mostly be fixed. I'd appreciate if you'd let me know if you see any errors since I don't have a beta. :3

* * *

**Chapter 23: **Tony Stark, Genius Billionaire... Nursemaid?

* * *

Loki couldn't do much of anything except lie in bed, watch TV, read or sleep. Though, he had been grateful for the books that Lady Pepper had brought for him. She'd given him the complete works of Shakespeare, The Lord of the Rings and a few other various works of literature that were considered classics. Tony had gotten him a copy of the original unabridged Poetic Edda, for 'shits and giggles' as he'd put it. Loki had to admit, he found it hilarious – even if he wanted to burn the stupid thing after reading the part about Sleipnir.

"I did not have 'dealings' with the damn stallion! Nor did I tie to my testicles to the beard of a goat!" Loki announced to the empty room and tossed the book aside, only to pick it up and keep reading later because his curiosity simply could not be sated.

Loki had contemplated the possibility of sending Thor to Asgard to ransack the palace library for any spellbooks predating the ban on magic that manipulated free-will, hoping find something about the rite of Linwe that Amora had mentioned. He decided against it, of course. Thor would be probably be suspicious of such a specific request, given his history. The oaf would probably assume he wanted the books to learn how to turn the Avengers into his personal mind-slaves or something equally dramatic.

Whatever the case, Loki's being relatively confined to either Tony's bed or the recliner in the lounge meant that a certain eccentric billionaire pretty much had to wait on him hand and foot. Pepper would have no part of it. She spent enough time picking up after Tony as it was, which he sadly had to admit was true. He'd let Bruce play in his workshop to pass the time, so that ruled him out too unless he was changing Loki's bandages.

Honestly, Loki didn't ask for much aside from food or for Tony to drag him into the bathroom every now and then. He was significantly lower maintenance than the engineer was expecting. A fact for which tony was endlessly thankful.

A week after returning to Malibu, Loki was starting to get some of his strength back and could walk short distances without help. He was far from healed, however, and was growing restless.

He never was one for lying in bed feeling sorry for himself. He knew there was a whole room full of books on the ground floor of the mansion, so he decided to go have a look for something to read – seeing as he had exhausted the entire supply of literature that Pepper had given him.

It had _not_ been a good idea. He made it back to Tony's bed in enough pain to wish he could die, and somehow pulled his bandages loose. Once he dragged himself back into the bed and deposited his chosen tomes on the table next to him, he finally caught his breath.

"Computer. Please send Doctor Banner." Loki asked after several failed attempts to tighten the loosened gauze wrapping.

"Doctor Banner is not in the building presently. If it is an emergency I can reach his cellphone." Jarvis answered.

"No, Send Stark. He will suffice." Loki grumbled and fruitlessly tried to straighten his pillows.

He was going to murder Amora when he found her. After she had exhausted her usefulness, of course. This degree of injury was entirely unnecessary unless...

"Fuck." He whispered, only noticing his usage of the abhorred mortal slang after a horrible realization hit him. She was keeping him out of the way. She had bigger plans than simply living the high life in Midgard. He'd been tricked. The god of lies, mischief, chaos and deceit had been taken for a fool. And only now did he understand. He knew she was every bit as treacherous as he was, but he'd been naïve enough to hope she would keep her word. _What an imbecile I have been..._

"Wow, that's out of character. What did you do? And why didn't you call for Bruce if you hurt yourself again?" Tony asked, leaning against the doorway nonchalantly.

"The computer said that he is not here." Loki snapped, trying to force his rage concerning Amora out of his mind. There was nothing that could be done now, and she knew his greatest weakness – a mindless affection for a certain mortal. _Damn._

"Huh? He should be here somewhere..." Tony pondered. "Well, whatever. What's up?"

Loki irritably showed him the loose bandaging. Tony cringed, but figured he had to try his best. He took nearly twenty minutes rooting through Bruce's stuff to find clean bandages and antiseptic. He knew literally nothing about first aid aside from the fact that super glue was great for nasty cuts and burn ointment was like the holy grail. Either he'd pull this off, or he'd wind up with one very pissed off Norse god in his bed.

He managed to extricate Loki from one of his own Black Sabbath t-shirts that he was wearing. Getting the bandages off was another story. For all Tony knew, it looked like Bruce was using Loki as a canvas to practice his weaving skills. After some swearing and Loki telling him several times to be more gentle, he finally got the bandages off and tossed them in the garbage.

He half wished he didn't.

He wondered if he could just do this without looking at the nasty somewhat serpentine shaped, but neatly stitched gash that extended from Loki's left hip almost to his nipple. _That has got to hurt a lot more than I thought._

"Ok so... I'll just... Oh Jesus. I have to clean it." Tony chattered. _Oh fuck, I have to _touch _it. _

"Can you please get this over with sometime this century?" Loki growled, glaring at him.

"I uh... Yeah. So. This is gross." Tony mumbled to himself as grabbed the bottle of antiseptic and a cotton pad. _I can't do this. _

"It is not gross. It is clean, and not infected to my knowledge." Loki snapped. Tony tried not to gag.

"Jarvis, call Bruce. I have no idea what I'm doing and I need a walkthrough." _Or moral support._

Bruce didn't answer. ...Which was very unlike him, considering he was somewhere in Malibu and not tending sick homeless people in a third world country at the moment.

Tony tried to not worry and set to work, ignoring Loki's comments about him apparently being a total pussy about it. Now he knew how Pepper felt when he'd pestered her into sticking her hand into the hole in his chest to pull out that loose wire from the first miniaturized arc reactor he'd built. Yeah, he was feeling pretty shitty about that now. And this was totally not even _nearly _as disgusting as that was.

Pepper was a lot more badass than he gave her credit for.

Very, gently Tony managed to clean the wound without hurting Loki – or puking on him. That had to be a win-win. It took a few tries to get the bandages snug and in place, though.

Tony let out a sigh of relief when the whole mess was finally over.

"I want you to promise me something, Anthony." Loki said very seriously. Tony eyed him warily, he wasn't sure he liked the sound of this. "Do not _ever_, for _any_ reason, decide to become a healer. You are lucky the one who taught me such arts is not here. He probably would have killed you where you stood. Or at least yelled at you – and he _never _yells."

Tony felt the uncertainty vanish and let out a bark of laughter.

"Totally fine with that. Yup. No worries." He said disarmingly and leaned forward to kiss Loki.

It was soft at first, but developed into a proper make-out session. Something felt strange though, like he couldn't let go if Loki if he wanted to. He felt Loki's hands on his forearms. It seemed like he meant to push him away, but couldn't.

Loki knew this feeling. _Magic._ It felt like the spells the elves often wove, with its power borrowed directly from the Yggdrasil. Immediately he sensed Amora's presence. He tried to push Tony away but could find neither the will nor strength. _This is not happening! _He fought the magic, but somehow his own power seemed completely beyond his reach, like it had been while he was a prisoner in Asgard. There, but unable to be touched.

In desperation, he wondered if he would be able to use a tiny bit of it to speak with the mortal telepathically.

"_Let go of me! We are more danger than you can possibly realize!"_ He thought with all he had.

"_What the fuck is this?" _The fact that Stark was able to respond astounded him. Even through normal means he wouldn't be able to unless... Amora had said that the magic of the rite of Linwe included being able to see into the thoughts of the person he was bound to.

This was not good.

"_The rite of Linwe? Huh? Is that something out of Lord of the Rings?"_ Tony asked, both of them still frozen mid kiss.

"_No. We are, quite frankly, utterly fucked."_ The trickster replied and felt the last bit of his grasp over his magic float away.

"Sir, there is a security breach but I cannot -" Whatever it was the AI couldn't do, they'd never know. Jarvis' power was cut mid-sentence. Tony tried, and failed, not to panic. ...And Loki could feel every bit of the cold edge of fear pierce him. Apparently, in Tony's mind Jarvis shutting down meant he was in serious danger.

"Stop trying to fight it, Loki my dear. You're only over-straining your magic. This spell can't be stopped once it has been cast." Loki couldn't move, but he didn't need to see Amora to know she was standing in the doorway to the room. She hummed happily and took a few steps closer to them.

"You make an adorable couple. I hope you don't kill each other because of this little game. Either way, I wanted to thank you, Loki. Letting me escape provided me with knowledge of your greatest weakness. Not that I particularly care. But I can't have you getting in my way again. So, I thought I'd use that knowledge to my advantage – and possibly yours if you survive the binding. So have fun, I daresay you will be too... distracted to be much trouble to me in the near future." She said, her voice full of humor and triumph.

"You should know there was something I _didn't_ tell you about this lovely little spell. There is not a damn thing in this universe that will be able to make you keep your hands off each other. Have fun." Amora said, positively cackling with delight and vanished into thin air just as the magic binding Tony and Loki faded.

As if someone had hit the pause button on a movie and finally pressed play, Loki's attempt to push Tony away followed through and the engineer found himself on the floor in a heap. Shakily he got up and looked at Loki who had horror written across his face. And he could _feel _it somehow. Suddenly, Tony was overcome by a crippling combination of complete shock and mindless denial. _Denial of what?_ He tried to stand and very nearly whimpered in pain. He was fine, yet… _Oh my god._

"_Denial of the fact that I am now bound to you in body and spirit for the rest of our lives." _He heard Loki say, but he heard the words in his mind, not actually spoken. That was fucking impossible.

"I'm sorry, what?" He said, panicking.

"You heard me." Loki snarled. "I am going to kill her! I am going to rip her heart out with my bare hands and make Skurge eat it! I will -" Tony felt the mindless rage, and saw Loki's intention to haul himself out of bed and through the window after Amora in spite of his injuries. Tony only _just _managed to get up and hold him down before he hurt himself or ripped his stitches out something. But he did it – he held him down in spite of his superhuman strength.

"How… How the fuck did I do that?" He asked, frowning. Loki relaxed in his grip, green eyes wide with shock.

"I have no idea." He replied brokenly.

"Okay. Now. We need to put our big boy pants on and chill the fuck out. Then you are going to tell me what the shit just happened." Tony said firmly. Loki nodded mutely and Tony let go of him. He slumped back into his pillows and Tony flopped down on the bed beside him.

"Jarvis, reboot." Tony said blankly to the ceiling.

"Already took the liberty, sir." The AI replied.

"Find Bruce."

"Already on his way, Sir. Director Fury is on the line." Jarvis responded.

"Put him through." Tony said miserably.

"Stark! About damn time you answered! What are you doing? Jerking off to a naked picture of Loki in your workshop? Get your ass in a suit! Skurge and the hulk are wrecking Malibu!" Fury shouted into the phone. Tony was glad he was on the intercom and not an actual phone. Blowing an ear drum from being yelled at by Fury wasn't on his agenda for the afternoon.

"On it!" He replied and made a dash for the workshop to get to a suit, ignoring the pain in his side that he was obviously channeling from Loki somehow. He figured he'd be fine once inside the Mark IV.

"No! Wait!" The demigod called to him, but it wasn't quick enough and Tony damn near passed out from the sudden pain that passed through him. It felt like being electrocuted – like he was wearing a shock collar or something. He would know, he'd zapped himself enough times working on various projects. But this was worse than anything he'd felt before– except maybe some of the tortures at the hands of the Ten Rings. He heard Loki grunt in pain as he literally crawled back into the room and slumped against the side of the bed panting.

"What the hell…?" He groaned.

"We can't be too far apart or, well, _that _will happen. Apparently." Loki explained, Tony could feel his barely suppressed rage as he spoke the words. "You know what, never mind. I need a moment to think. I do not desire to attempt to explain magic I know nothing about other than what that _bitch_ told me."

"_Yeah, ok. Good enough. I Agree with the bitch part on so many levels." _Tony thought, knowing Loki could hear it. "Jarvis, call Fury back." He said aloud.

"What are you doing Stark? Why are you calling me?" Fury demanded when he answered.

"I can't leave the mansion. Amora trapped us here somehow. I don't fucking know, okay! This space Viking hocus pocus is really freaking me the hell out." Tony explained.

"Doesn't matter anyway. Barton has Banner on the other line. Apparently Amora and Skurge just did their disappearing trick again." Fury said angrily and hung up. Tony sighed in relief.

"_She was using him as a distraction to keep Doctor Banner away, apparently." _Loki mused.

"Obviously." Tony said aloud. "So now what?"

Loki thought about it for a few moments as he weighed his options. He only knew of two people who might know something of this magic – his mother, Frigga and an elven healer in Alfheim by the name of Taure. Frigga would be easier to get in touch with. Nothing in the rules of his mission said that he could not leave Midgard, but Loki hadn't seen Taure since long before he destroyed half the bifrost and led an alien army into New York. There was no telling how he would react. His uncle, Frey, the king of Alfheim might know something. But again, Frigga would be the easiest to reach, even if Taure would probably be easiest to deal with.

He heaved a sigh and let the magical veils blocking him from Heimdall's vision fade.

"Heimdall. I need to speak with my mother _immediately_ – preferably in person, but I am injured and cannot travel to Asgard in this state. I would appreciate if you could send her here." Loki said, looking down at his hands in shame. How pathetic all of this was. _But better than explaining what I did later and dealing with her disapproval after she found out on her own, _he thought to himself – hating the fact that he knew Tony could hear it.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24: Bound Until Death**

* * *

Tony and Loki refused to tell Bruce and Pepper anything when they showed up at the mansion half an hour later. Poor Bruce was wearing nothing but what pitiful scraps were left of his pants. The only thing they _did _tell them was that Tony absolutely could not leave the room, that leaving the room would literally kill him. They obviously didn't believe them, but went along with it for the benefit of the doubt. Bruce stayed with them, refusing to leave while Pepper went downstairs to wait for any sign that Heimdall had gotten Loki's message.

_Damn I wish he would leave,_ Tony thought miserably. He loved having Bruce around, but either he was hormonal or Amora's comment about not being able to keep his hands off Loki was true. Because, seriously he felt like a teenager hiding a boner in class behind a pile of books. …Except that he was using one of Loki's pillows. Loki, he could feel, was in a similar state. It was the main reason he was laying on his uninjured side facing the wall and cocooned in blankets to hide the evidence.

_Jesus Bruce__…__ Can you not tell I just want a good, hard fuck yesterday?_ Loki snorted, barely suppressing a bark of laughter.

"_I can hear you, Anthony.__" _Tony rolled his eyes and stared pointedly out the window. If Bruce noticed the little exchange, he said nothing.

At about ten that night, Thor showed up on Tony's doorstep with a very confused Asgardian queen in tow. Pepper greeted them shyly and led them to Tony's room.

At first sight, it had that awkward, strained atmosphere like someone had recently died in there or something. Loki was still curled up in his blankets, blatantly avoiding the other two occupants of the room. Tony was sitting on the bed next to him hugging a pillow for dear life with an expression on his face somewhere between melancholy and horror. Bruce was sitting next to them on the bench to the bathroom vanity that he'd dragged into the room, and was staring out the window vacantly.

When Pepper cleared her throat loudly Bruce and Tony jumped and looked in her direction. Loki remained where he was, but grunted in acknowledgment. Thor opened his mouth to speak, but Frigga motioned for him to be quiet.

"Loki dear, you called for me?" The queen of Asgard said pleasantly, though her voice was full of worry. Tony had to admit, even though she looked like she belonged in a fairy tale book, the women wore power like a cloak. Immediately he knew this was not someone he wanted to piss off, yet if the vibes he was getting from Loki meant anything, her kindness far outweighed her temper. Yeah, there was definitely something that was just plain motherly about her.

"Mother." Loki said simply and _finally_ rolled back over to face the rest of the room. Tony noticed that when he very carefully sat up, he still kept the blankets loosely piled in his lap.

"_Nothing like having a boner in front of your mom, eh Lokes?__"_Tony thought humorously. Loki didn't reply, but Tony knew the slightly pink hue his cheeks took on momentarily wasn't entirely anger at the comment.

"I need your help. I need to know anything I can find out about an ancient working of elvish magic called the rite of Linwe." Loki explained hopefully. The color drained from Frigga's face and she tucked some of her blonde curly hair behind her ear in an almost nervous movement.

"Do you mean a soul bond?" She asked, her voice a tiny bit shriller than usual. Loki nodded.

"I need you all to leave the room, please." Frigga said faintly. A few thoughts raced through Tony's mind as he tried to think of how to escape without having to leave his pillow. He didn't exactly relish the idea of sitting out in the hall with Pepper, Thor and Bruce glaring at him in silent disgust for the bulge in his jeans. He couldn't go any further than the end of the hall, anyway. At least he knew Pepper and Bruce would have the decency not to eavesdrop. Thank mercy Clint and Natasha weren't around.

"You may stay, Man of Iron." Frigga said as Tony was about to attempt his escape. Relief washed over him and Loki coughed to cover up a derisive snicker of amusement at his shame. The three of them waited in silence until Thor _finally _followed Bruce and Pepper out of the room doing his usual sad puppy routine.

"How did this come to be?" Frigga asked calmly. Tony shook his head, he really hadn't a clue aside from Loki trying to get Amora's help. Loki launched into his story about making the deal with Amora – her freedom in exchange for her knowledge of some way to fix the problem of Tony's mortality. He rather sheepishly told Frigga about her deciding to use it against him which created the current situation.

"How do we get rid of this enchantment?" Loki asked, hiding his face in his hands. "Given time to actually discuss this with Anthony and to be sure of our feelings, I may or may not have considered it as a solution. But I doubt that either of us are mentally capable of dealing with this presently."

Frigga regarded them in silence for a moment. She looked absolutely livid about what Loki had told her, but her expression softened and she patted Loki on the shoulder gently.

"You could have come to me. We would have worked something out." Frigga told him sadly. "Well, it is what is. You will have to live with this now."

"There is good news, and bad news." The queen explained, smiling slightly at Tony.

"You will not be able to remove it – unless one of you dies, which will also kill the other – that would be the bad news. Though, I doubt it will effect either of you on a mental level aside from the initial shock of well… Let's put it this way – You, Man of Iron, are the only person in the nine realms that Loki will _never _be able to lie to. Ever. Basically, you will not be able to keep a secret from the other – no matter how hard you may try." Frigga told them thoughtfully. "That being said, you seem to be taking that fairly well. So, as long as you stay near enough to each other, you should be fine."

"So, this doesn't seem _that _bad, Bambi." Tony said with a shrug.

"You do realize this is permanent? That we are stuck together for the Norns know how long?" Loki complained.

"Uh, yeah? Didn't you say something about being able to choose mortality? Not my fault." Frigga glanced at Loki curiously.

"I did also say that I would prefer not to, nor it seems would you – judging by the fact that I am by no means mortal." The trickster snapped in reply. Tony shrugged.

"Well, last time I thought I was dying I nearly destroyed my company, got shitfaced and blew half this mansion up and basically caused enough mayhem that Fury himself came after me. Oh, and Pepper dumped me _again_. It wasn't pretty and no one wants a repeat, believe me. That and, I don't think one mortal life is nearly enough time for all the things I want to do before I die. Shit, I'll need at least three to perfect the arc reactor enough to make my damn board members and stockholders somewhat satisfied." Tony rambled nonchalantly in the way he always did when he was more scared than he wanted to admit. Loki raised his eyebrows and studied him curiously as he realized that in spite of Tony's casual tone, he was an emotional train wreck on the inside.

"You are nervous. And you talk too much – as always." Loki observed.

Tony twitched uncomfortably. "So are you. And you're such a pain in the ass."

"…Fair enough."

"See? The spark of real love is already there, so the spell did not alter your perception at all. Else you would not be complaining about each other. I think the two of you will be just fine. If you are worried, go to Alfheim and speak with Taure. This magic is still practiced there as a normal part of marriage for the elves. Perhaps you should, actually. Taure would know more about this than I would." She added sweetly.

"…Marriage?" Tony muttered and felt a flutter of panic. Frigga giggled softly at the look on Tony's face.

"Oh? I am sorry, _darling._ Is it only serious now that someone had mentioned that horrible 'm' word?" Loki remarked with a sneer.

Tony might have been pissed at him, if he hadn't _felt _the sense of irony in the words that was completely unreadable on the outside. So that was what Frigga meant. He could not only hear Loki's thoughts, but connect with his emotions as well. He could say he whatever he wanted, _how_ ever he wanted, and Tony would still know if he hadn't meant it because he could sense the true feelings behind the words. Ok, so he had to admit that was pretty damn cool – even if it did work both ways.

"Nice try, Reindeer Games. I know you didn't mean that."

"There is something else you should be aware of." Frigga said, somewhat ominously. "Man of Iron, you will begin to inherit Loki's magical gifts over time. It will mean nothing if you do not learn to channel and use that power. Some things will be passive abilities, though." Tony shrugged noncommittally, but Loki felt a momentary sense of uncertainty and possibly revulsion. So even someone who claimed to love him hated magic...

"Well, I try to think of your space voodoo as some kind of science I just don't understand yet. I guess this just means I get to figure it out first-hand." Tony said blankly. Loki's offense at his distaste for magic vanished immediately. It wasn't that it repulsed the engineer, he realized, it was something that he did not, and could not understand. It was something that he did not see as real in the sense of seemingly creating something from nothing. Magic was a lot more like a science than he knew, as he would soon find out. It wasn't the magic that disgusted him, but the fact that he couldn't understand it. Loki had a feeling that trying to teach Stark how to use magic could prove rather enlightening, considering his purely logical way of thinking.

"So, that doesn't explain why I was able to hold you down when you were going to kill yourself in a useless attempt to rip Amora's heart out." Tony said to Loki, frowning.

"No, it does not." He conceded. As far as Loki knew, his strength came from his Jotun heritage.

"Perhaps the physical strength of the Jotnar has some basis in magic, rather than strictly biology like the Aesir. Sadly I know very little about that." Frigga suggested.

They sat in silence for a moment, all lost in their own thoughts. Well, that wasn't entirely true. Tony was aware of every little thing that crossed the demigod's mind. It surreal and overwhelming. But it was also cool as shit.

"You know, this isn't so bad. I've been having the absolute worst time trying to understand you because there's so much you won't tell me. But now I can." Tony commented happily. _"__Bruce was right, it _is _like a bag full of cats inside your head.__"_

"...I suppose that is true." Loki admitted, battling with his anxiety and ignoring the comment about having a brain full of crazy cats.

"I will give you some time to yourselves. I should explain this to the others. I imagine hiding it will be next to impossible." Frigga said and winked knowingly. Tony buried his face in hands, and Loki burst out laughing at the embarrassment he felt through the magic binding them.

"I could have sworn you had no shame, Anthony…"

"Oh just shut up."

* * *

"What is the rite of Linwe?" Bruce asked Thor. He, Pepper and the thunderer were hanging out on the couches in the downstairs lounge. Pepper was curled up in the recliner wearing a light blue pajama set and nursing a martini, which meant shit had just gotten real because Pepper only drank when she was at the end of her emotional rope.

Really though, she'd so had it with Tony's crap. Why was she still _living _with him, anyway?

"I am sorry my friends, I have no idea. Linwe sounds like a Ljósálfar name. It must have something to do with the elves of Alfheim." Thor assumed.

"As a matter of fact, it does." The three of them all looked up simultaneously to see Frigga descending the stairs. She held her long, flowing skirt up daintily to avoid tripping on it and smiled disarmingly at them. Ignoring the way they all stared at her, demanding answers, the queen gracefully took a seat on the couch beside Bruce where there was an empty spot.

Then she explained to them what Amora had done to Tony and Loki. What their limitations were in terms of needing to be near each other at all times, and that their very lives and physical health were intertwined. It could be a great strength, but also a severe weakness if someone like Amora came along who knew how manipulate that. She also mentioned to try their best to be patient with them, adjusting to the soul bond was most likely going to be a very stressful experience.

Bruce had gotten up about midway through the little lecture and began pacing, pinching the bridge of his nose and taking carefully counted breaths as he brought his anger under control. Pepper watched him wide-eyed, Thor somewhat warily. He could handle the hulk if he had to.

Pepper was the first one to speak when Frigga finished more or less debriefing them on the mechanics of Amora's spell. "I feel bad for Loki. Falling in love with Tony is horrible. I can't imagine Asgard's prisons could have possibly been worse. He is so selfish and just... ugh." She muttered, hiccuped, and dropped the empty martini glass. It hit the floor and shattered in every possible direction. Pepper just giggled.

"Methinks the Lady Pepper doth not hold her liquor well." Thor commented, his lips twitching into a grin. Frigga looked at her curiously but said nothing. Bruce dragged her to her feet with a sigh and steered her in the direction of her bedroom. She giggled the entire way there. When he came back downstairs, he sat back down in his place next to Frigga.

"I know you told us all this so we can look after them, but, I think we need to keep it between us. It'll be a nightmare if Fury or, God forbid, Steve finds out about this." Bruce commented and wondered if he should ask Jarvis where to find a broom to clean up Pepper's mess.

"I agree. Man of Fury may try to force them apart. And the Captain of America will no doubt disapprove of it entirely." Thor replied hesitantly.

"Mr. Odinson, Mr. Stark would like you like to escort him and Loki to Alfheim in the morning." Jarvis interrupted. Thor looked up at the ceiling resolutely.

"Aye, I can do that." He said. Bruce chuckled at the fact that Thor _still _spoke to the ceiling when addressing Jarvis and the way Frigga glanced about trying to figure out where the voice was coming from.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes:** I suppose I should make a note that everything about the elves is AU and entirely made up. I actually do know quite a lot about the real elves in Norse mythology, but that wasn't as fun as coming up with my own little mini universe and characters. Their names are loosely based on LOTR elven words/names except Taure which literally means 'Forest' in Sindarin.

So, obviously all the elves Tony and Loki will encounter are OCs. And even though I'm reusing Taure from another fic/series of mine, this has nothing to do with that one in the slightest. I just liked him too much to not write more about him. :3

* * *

**Chapter 25: Don't touch the plants!**

* * *

"Seriously, can you just let Thor carry you? You're killing me." Tony whined as he followed Thor and Loki down a winding cobblestone road in the middle of a dense forest full of flora that Tony was sure didn't exist on earth. Tony could feel every twinge of pain that passed through Loki due to his wound as he walked along steadily. It was somewhat muted from what Loki must actually be feeling, but _still. _

He hoped this forest was somewhat more populated than the one in Arkansas.

But _of course_ it was a forest. They were going to see the _elves. _

"So how long 'til we get to Rivendell?" Tony quipped irritably. Loki stopped in his tracks and turned to face him in annoyance.

"We are not going to _Rivendell_." He hissed. "Cease your needless chattering. It is irritating enough to have to hear it within my mind as well."

"Oh, I'm sorry princess." Tony retorted, smiling and disgustedly grateful for Pepper giving him the Lord of the Rings to read. Having Loki understand one of his random references was like finding the holy grail. For all the venom in Loki's voice, he wasn't nearly as angry on the inside.

"You are the single most infuriating cretin I have had the displeasure of meeting." Loki snapped and kept walking. Thor listened to them bicker in confusion. Tony only smiled, knowing the statement was entirely sarcasm. Loki was annoyed, yeah, but he considered Thor to be at least fifty times more irritating than Tony.

"We are heading to a place called Lior. It is an academy where those elves that wish the learn the healing arts go to study. I stayed here some five hundred years ago. The man we are going to see, Taure, is a friend of my uncle Frey who is the king of this realm. He is one of the greatest healers and warriors known to the history of the elves. Taure is nearly ten thousand years old, so _please_ be somewhat respectful – _both_ of you." Loki explained obviously barely restraining the desire to rip Tony a new one and disembowel Thor who had insisted on coming with them.

Tony was kind of in agreement where Thor was concerned. The thunderer was nothing but supportive of their relationship, but he still kind of looked ready to murder Tony whenever he thought of the fact that, yes, they were sleeping together. ...Among other things that he really did _not _want Thor to know about.

It took them about an hour to reach the academy. Tony was absolutely speechless at the sight of it, even if Thor and Loki seemed used to it. The place looked like something straight out of a fantasy movie. The buildings, full of graceful arches and delicately carved decoration, seemed to be cut out of the very mountainside. But the stone was pure white, like semi-translucent marble and seemed to glow in the sun. Amazed by the sheer artistry of it, Tony trailed his fingers across a lovingly carved vine that twisted around a pillar that held up the entry gate. He almost walked into Thor while he stared at the lifelike white elk statue that was tangled in real vines atop the gateway. He'd always appreciated art, but this was different. It seemed... _Alive._

"_It is alive, in a sense. Magic is life energy made real. Elves unconsciously channel magic into everything they do because they have so much of it__. With the ability to sense the presence of magic that you must have already gotten from me, you are feeling those traces left behind. You will notice it in all things eventually, but anything crafted by the elves has a stronger vibration."_ Loki explained as they passed through the vibrant gardens in front of the main building that were full of elegant animal statues.

"_That's going to take some getting used to."_ Tony thought and turned around to look at the white elk one last time before going inside. It was like having an extra sense; he was beginning to notice that sometimes the air felt different near certain objects. Absently, he touched the arc reactor in his chest, feeling the hard surface beneath his nearly worn out ACDC t-shirt. Loki had said that it felt like the Tesseract. He was beginning to understand what that meant, and it thoroughly freaked him out when it noticed for the first time that morning that he could feel a slight vibration coming from it. At first he panicked and thought it was having a malfunction, until Loki briefly explained what he was feeling.

It was cool and smelt pleasantly of lavender inside the main building of the academy. Tony could see that the long arches carved into the stone that served as windows were left open to let the air in on temperate days, but had heavy wooden shutters to keep the rain out if necessary. Something about it seemed medieval, yet Loki had said the elves had a more advanced culture than any of the other realms. Tony wasn't quite sure what to make of that just yet. He wordlessly followed Loki and Thor up a wide ornate spiral staircase carved from the same dense white stone as everything else. A group of what had to be the equivalent of teenagers for the elves passed by below them, chatting about the lesson they had just left.

That struck Tony as a little odd.

"Hey Lokes, what language do they speak here?" Tony asked, curiously.

"Various dialects of Elvish. I will simply call it Elvish since there are many different language that qualify as such. Though, the elves can usually use these tongues interchangeably since many words and phrases are shared between them." Loki explained as they made their way up the staircase that seemed to go on forever. "Why do you ask?"

"...Because I'm trying figure out why I could understand what they were saying just now." Tony replied awkwardly. "Somehow I knew they weren't speaking English, but that doesn't make any sense does it? ...What the fuck?" Loki looked over his shoulder at him curiously.

"Not all of the power you inherit from me will be something you will need to consciously learn." Loki said cryptically.

"Oh, I believe I know what this is, Man of Iron." Thor said happily, finally glad to be able to participate in the conversation. "It must be the Allspeak."

"Yes." Loki confirmed as they _finally _reached the top of the stairs. Loki seemed indifferent to the aching of his wound, but Tony half wanted to kiss the floor and pray that these were the only stairs they had to go up. "The Allspeak gives us the ability to understand and communicate in all languages - that includes reading them with some practice. Mostly it is just the Aesir that possess that power, but some elves and Jotnar do as well. It is how Thor and I can communicate with the people of your Realm. You did not truly believe I wasted time learning that guttural nonsense you call a language, did you?"

"I'm kind of surprised something like that didn't give me some kind of massive psychological trauma. I mean, that's pretty serious business. Wow." Tony commented. Loki frowned for a moment.

"_So am I."_ The trickster replied. "Taure's study is through here." He said aloud and led them to a pair of huge mahogany wood doors with the Yggdrasill painstakingly carved into them. Loki didn't knock, he just pushed the door on the right open and walked inside. The old wood didn't even creak. Tony recalled what Loki said about Taure being thousands of years old and swallowed nervously. That didn't sound like someone he wanted to accidentally sass. Especially not if Loki actually respected the guy - because if that fact didn't speak volumes, Tony didn't know what did.

The study was much less orate than the rest of the place so far. Though, it was impeccably neat. Tall bookshelves that nearly reached the arched ceiling dominated the room in rows – all of them stocked in perfect arrangement. _Taure must be pretty OCD, _Tony thought. There was an upper landing as well that looked like it split off into two separate rooms. On the far end of the main part of the study, there was a large open balcony full of potted plants and a modestly decorative worktable. There was also a large hearth built into the wall beside the balcony.

No one seemed to be around.

Thor, being as incapable of sitting still as he always was, wandered to the balcony. He'd never seen plants like these in Asgard. He would assume they must be used to make medicines. Curiously he reached out to touch the large fuzzy looking leaf at the base of an enormous purple flower.

"Do not touch my plants, Thunderer. I am certain my apprentice would be rather displeased to spend her entire afternoon putting your entrails back where they belong." The words were spoken softly in a voice that had an almost musical quality to it with absolute calm. Yet, the threat was obvious. Thor made a rather uncharacteristic girlish squeaking sound and backed away from the plants.

No wonder he and Loki got along so well.

Tony had to admit, he didn't even notice the elf seated at the table with a book propped up in front of him until he'd spoken. Tony could definitely imagine him being a few thousand years old. There was something positively ageless about him. He seemed old and possessing of incredible knowledge, yet he looked at least ten years younger than Tony. Still, the elf who Tony assumed must be Taure, looked like something right out of a fantasy novel. He had long, waist length auburn hair that had part of it neatly braided and pulled behind his head with a white ribbon that perfectly matched his immaculate white robes with a silver vine patterned trimming on the hems.

He didn't even glance at them. He seemed completely absorbed in whatever he was reading.

Either way, Tony had to give him some credit. He'd freaked Thor out with only a few words, without even looking at him, and that was kind of awesome – considering he'd never come close to managing it.

"Please excuse my idiot brother, he insisted I bring him along." Loki said miserably. Taure smiled fondly and finally set the book aside.

"All these years, Loki, and you still have not mastered the art of trust – or saying what is actually in your heart." Taure said, but smiled warmly. "It is good to see you."

"You as well, Master Taure." Loki said cordially and blatantly ignored his comment about not trusting anyone.

"What brings you here?" Taure asked, his dark blue eyes meeting Tony's brown ones curiously. Tony liked him immediately, in spite of his usual paranoia. Something about the old elf was calming and he obviously had a sense of wit to rival Loki's. Taure and Loki having a verbal pissing contest, oddly it was something Tony was curious to see.

"_It will not happen."_ Loki informed him resolutely. "It is... Complicated." Loki said aloud with a sigh.

"You are in pain." Taure noted. Loki flinched, obviously he had been hoping Taure wouldn't notice, but he nodded in agreement. "I found myself on the wrong side of a certain enchantress. But... that is not why I am here. Perhaps partially. I would rather not keep the scars."

"Scars sometimes serve as a necessary reminder of trials we have survived. Perhaps they are ugly to look upon to some, but they are also beautiful because they are a visible manifestation of our strength and lessons learned through the experience that created them." Taure said enigmatically.

Tony thought about it for a moment, and his own rather nasty scars from various workshop accidents and the more gruesome ones from implanting the arc reactor. He'd never really had a sense of shame as far as his body was concerned, but he did make an effort not to look at it in the mirror unless necessary. What Taure said was true though, especially in Tony's case. For him the scars, both mental and physical, served as a reminder and motivation to stay on the right path. ...A reminder of _why _he'd stopped making weapons and become Iron Man.

"I would rather not need a physical memento on my body of Amora betraying me due to my own foolishness. The only lesson to be learned from it is that, as always, I have no sense of trust when it matters most." Loki said bitterly. "But again, that is not why I am here."

"It is a lesson you would do well to remember. It has always been your greatest downfall." Taure told him sagely.

Loki sighed and introduced Tony to Taure. Sheepishly, he told his old mentor about his mishap with Amora and the soul bond. Awkwardly, he added the fact that Frigga had suggested speaking with him about it. Taure considered everything Loki told him in silence before addressing Thor.

"As much as it gladdens my heart to see you, son of Odin, this issue is one that there is little you can do help with. In fact, it would be best if you gave your brother the space he needs. Accepting it is difficult under circumstances like this, and your presence here will only make that harder for them both."

Tony wanted to hug Taure.

He had nothing against Thor, but the whole protective big brother thing was starting to drive him nuts. Now he understood the whole cliché about not dating a girl with protective siblings. ...Of course he'd never had such a relationship because apparently that didn't apply to one-night stands with the infamous Tony Stark. Loki obviously agreed, even if Tony couldn't feel the relief through the bond, he'd know Loki would want no part of having this discussion with Thor in the vicinity.

Thor looked at Loki with those big watery puppy eyes. Loki just gave back as good as he got. Eventually Thor caved, vehemently making an oath to come back in a week if Loki hadn't returned to Midgard by then. The trickster just rolled his eyes and muttered obscenities under his breath as Thor finally left.

"Honestly, I have no idea which one of you is the bigger pain in the ass. Thor's too clingy and you're too much like a starved rabid bear. Like, seriously. Anything I say to you is like very carefully poking an angry bear in the eye with a pointy stick." Loki glared daggers at him, but the slight twitch of a smile on his lips didn't escape Taure or Tony's notice.

"And you are an absolute whore. I never would have imagined the depravity of your mind without this bond. Do you ever not think of sex?" Loki whined.

"Do _you _ever not think of sex?"

"I hate you so much." Loki growled.

"No, you don't. Seriously. You can't lie to me so just stop trying, will you?" Tony replied, laughing. Loki gave him his best menacing glare.

"The fact that you are capable making such comments is a good thing. It means the soul bond hasn't affected your free will in any way. You must have already had some level of acceptance and affection for one another." Taure told them, smiling in amusement at their little battle of wills. "Do not worry about that either, it is perfectly normal for two people who love each other to have their arguments. Compromise is never easy, and sometimes one must battle it out to reach that place. Some people more than others."

"You do not understand; this is -" Loki began.

"Loki, relax. You are over-thinking this entire situation." Taure said softly, effectively silencing him. The demigod looked ready to explode from rage, which Tony distinctly felt in every part of his being. It wasn't Taure he was angry with, it was Amora.

"I will NOT relax! And I will not rest until I find that vile snake and tear her heart out with my bare hands! You cannot possibly understand how I feel! I am -" Loki shouted, finally losing control of the blind rage. Tony backed up a pace, but Taure held his composure and regarded Loki in an almost bored manner.

"Beyond reason, obviously. Are you quite finished? Unless you have decided to begin Ragnarok early, the universe is not ending." The healer commented in an even tone, interrupting Loki's outburst.

"_Ouch. I bet that stung." _Tony thought, smirking at Loki. Taure must have balls of steel to basically tell Loki off like a screaming kid that couldn't have a toy it wanted at the Walmart. Tony couldn't help but wonder if anything would rattle this guy's cage.

"Oh no, I am not finished! While I waste time here that miserable wench is probably destroying everything I have striven to do in order to redeem myself! Why does no one else seem to understand that simple fact!?"

"Enough, you cannot think clearly like this. If _you _are in enough pain for me to be able to tell by just looking at you, it is making both of you miserable." Taure said calmly in a manner that would allow for zero argument. Loki sulked like a scolded child, but followed him out of the study with Tony trailing behind wondering what the hell he had just witnessed.


	26. Chapter 26

**Warning:** This chapter has sexy times. Don't read it where your mum can peek over your shoulder. ^_~

I should also probably add that there is art of Taure on my Deviantart (username: Volkihar) from last year when I first come up with him for a D&D character. Haha, a little different from this version but the same character none the less.

Thanks for all the reviews, too. I know I don't answer them all, but I really appreciate them! And, since a couple people have asked, a detailed history of how the rite of Linwe came to be is in chapter 28. :3 It will all be explained soonish!

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**Chapter 26: Tearing Down the Walls**

* * *

It took Taure all of five minutes to heal Loki's wound using magic. He did, however, leave the scar and told Loki he wouldn't remove it unless he learned his lesson regarding trust. Loki, of course, was furious.

Three of those five minutes were spent carefully removing Bruce's stitches. Tony would have to remember to tell Bruce that one of the most respected healers in Alfheim had praised his work. Taure had been rather impressed with how neat and precise it had been. He'd said something along the lines of his apprentice having taken an over a century to be able to probably sew a wound shut with the same level of skill. Bruce would be beside himself.

Afterward, they sat in at the table in the study, Loki drinking a cup of some kind of sweet smelling herbal tea that Taure had made to calm him down. Apparently the reality of their situation had finally hit home for Loki and he was a panicky mess. Taure had very little patience for his dramatics and Tony couldn't agree more. Tony, on the other hand, had a total lack of a panic mechanism unless it was tied in with his nightmares and flashbacks to being held prisoner by the Ten Rings or the whole nuke incident. Though, he didn't fare that well whenever he had to go to the middle east for business either.

"How intimate of a relationship do you actually have?" Taure asked when he was sure Loki had mellowed out enough not to lash out at him and Tony. Tony would _have_ to get the recipe for that tea. Loki felt like Bruce usually behaved – completely calm, collected and relaxed but not spacey. ...Kind of like right after he'd had sex. He felt too nice and fuzzy inside to be an angry little shit.

"Physically or emotionally?" Loki asked, staring down into his empty teacup.

"Both." Taure elaborated. "And do not be ashamed of anything, nothing you say will leave this room. I am also not a prude like the majority of the Aesir." Tony snorted and shook his head. Taure thought the Aesir were prudes? If only he could introduce him to a certain super soldier back home...

"Definitely more intimate physically than emotionally." Tony answered. "Neither one of us is the type that likes to talk about our issues. Though, we have a little bit." Loki nodded in agreement.

"Well, you going to _have _discuss whatever that may be. Obviously, the hardest part of this for you two will be working out your differences and not shutting each other out. It will not work; do not waste your time. Instead, embrace it. It is easier said than done. Just spend time talking, without sniping at each other, where possible. The idea is to find common ground to build upon, and trust will follow." Taure told them meaningfully.

"Talk about what, exactly?" Loki asked dully.

"Anything you feel comfortable with." The master healer said with a shrug. "You know, it is actually kind of funny. Usually it is the opposite. In most cases it is the intense sexual desire that is the problem with this. And trying to ignore that is _much _worse."

Loki chuckled and smirked at Tony who tried, and hopelessly failed, not to envision himself licking whipped cream off the tip of Loki's cock.

"_You have to be kidding me."_ Loki chastised him.

"_I wasn't the one imagining myself tying me to a chair and beating me senseless when he mentioned that_." Tony retorted. Loki coughed and looked away, after he scooted his chair a little closer to the table in case Taure, who was sitting next to him, looked down for some reason.

"I assume I do not want to know what you two are thinking about?" Taure asked, smiling mischievously. "Though I can imagine. It will be at least a few months before that starts to be less... distracting."

"My mother said that the elves still practice this magic as a normal part of marriage. Is that true?" Loki inquired curiously.

"Yes, as we have for thousands of years. Though the spell used is different. The incantation that forces you to be near each other at all times has not been used in over a thousand years. It is completely unnecessary. Either way, while in this realm the two of you will be considered a married couple, regardless of whatever rites decide that in Midgard or Asgard. Though it is a sacred tradition and in the very few cases of it being misused like this it has always been by either the Aesir or the Dökkálfar of Svartalfheim. We take it very seriously because of the negative psychological effects it can have on two people who are not ready to make such a commitment. Normally it is not permitted for a couple to enter a soul bond unless they have been engaged for at least a century. It can utterly destroy them. You two, however, will be fine once you accept and get used to it." The elf explained, and watched Loki curiously.

"Given time, the need to be so physically close to one another will fade. Though, as I recall, that was a royal pain for me at first. How I hated going on those hunting trips. There's nothing like being wet and cold in the woodlands in dead winter just to make another happy... Hm. How easy it is to forget." Taure commented nostalgically.

"...You are bound to someone?" Loki said curiously. "That must have been after I studied under you."

Taure smiled and shook his head.

"I married my husband some four thousand years ago. The soul bond is still there, as it always will be. I can speak with him at any time, and often do throughout the day. As long as we both remain in this realm, the distance between us no longer matters. Though, I do wish your uncle gave his adviser some time off work more often. Simply because I can hear his voice at any time does not mean I do not long for his actual presence."

"You've actually managed to love the same person unconditionally for _that long_?" Tony asked incredulously.

"Of course, all it takes is patience, a great deal of compromise and trust." Taure replied and winked. "Something you will understand in time which, I may add, is something you will have quite a lot of now."

"Wait... Do you mean Elindar? I know him" Loki said thoughtfully. "Is he not also a smith? He taught me how to craft small weapons when I was a child."

"The very same." Taure told him. "He made those daggers you wield, the ones Frey gave you as a gift for your coming of age. He was quite proud of them at the time."

"I suppose he should be. In all these years they have never failed me." Loki replied thoughtfully.

"A well-crafted elven blade will never fail its wielder." Taure assured him. "I have a class to instruct, so I am afraid I have to leave you for now. You are welcome to stay here as long as you please, no one is using your old room upstairs. Loki, that tea will help with the anxiety. As I recall, you should know how to make it. It will not make the causes go away, but it will help you until you are capable of coping with it yourself. I suggest you make use of it." Loki nodded in affirmation and Taure left them to their own devices.

"He seems to care a lot about you." Tony said once the healer had left.

"Sometimes I think of him as one might a father. Perhaps things would have turned out differently had I spent more time here instead of trying uselessly to gain Odin's praise and the Aesir's respect." Loki replied, not quite meeting Tony's eyes.

"Maybe. But you can't change that now. All you can do is let it go and try to move on. So, what are you thinking? Sit here and talk or go find your old room and take care of the horrible boner we both have?" Tony asked suggestively.

"...I think I would rather just talk. The other way feels too much like running from the problem. Though it is very tempting, and rather out of character for me _not _to run." The demigod mused and looked out through the open balcony at the forest sprawling below them. Tony was glad he'd talked Loki into coming here. It was already a nightmare, even with Taure to be the voice of reason for Loki. After seeing him freak out earlier, Tony he wasn't sure he could deal with him on his own. Frigga was damn perceptive, Tony would have to give her that.

"Right, so. What do you want to talk about?" Tony asked, leaning back in his chair. Loki just kept staring outside vacantly. Tony could see Loki asking himself the same question in his mind. There were a lot of things that _needed _to said, but not many that he actually _wanted, _or trusted Tony enough to talk about.

"…When you said that you love me the other day, did you truly mean that?" Loki said when he finally spoke. Tony thought about it hard for a moment.

"Honestly, I don't know. What I _do _know is that I'm pretty sure I've never really known what it felt like to love someone other than as a friend. You make me feel different somehow, and I'd do just about anything to make you happy or keep you safe. Even if it was suicidal or stupid as all hell. I always thought I loved Pepper, but something was missing. I think I have that with you." Tony answered. "What about you? Did you mean it, Rudolph?"

"…Yes." Loki replied, and Tony could feel the sincerity. It nearly overwhelmed him.

"Ok. So, stupid question because this is a little heavy. The thing with the horse… did you really –"

"I did _not _give birth to a foal. I did change into a mare and lure the stallion away, yes, but Sleipnir came of a stupid story that Thor told anyone who would listen in order to get revenge for me conjuring snakes in one of his consort's undergarments." Tony tried not to laugh, he really did. Loki just rolled his eyes.

"So, _do_ you have any children?" Loki glared at him across the table.

"None that anyone has ever been able to actually blame me for. The Poetic Edda was a pile of utter rubbish, by the way." Loki explained with some amusement. "What about you, any little mistakes, Anthony?"

Tony smirked and shook his head. "None that passed a paternity test. …Somehow I don't think this is the kind of common ground Taure was talking about."

"Probably not." Loki agreed, finally cracking a smile. "…What were your parents like?"

"My mother was always good to me. I miss her sometimes. My father… I try not to hate my father. Sometimes I think my being a complete whore was just a cop out because I was never good enough and I still can't let go of that, even after he died. All he ever cared about was Steve fucking Rogers who was supposedly dead long before I was born. I never quite measured up to whatever image he had in his mind of the glorious Captain America. The closest I ever got to an 'I love you' from him was him telling me I was his 'greatest creation' on a recording Fury gave me years after he died." Tony told Loki bitterly and suddenly wanted to talk about _anything _other than his father.

Loki said nothing and stared blankly at his hands that were folded in his lap. He recalled Tony telling him that he understood how he felt about living in Thor's shadow. He had dismissed the notion doubting anyone, let alone a mortal, would know what it meant to him. He had never been more wrong.

He had also never been more aroused.

_Damn this spell._

"Anthony. I desire to ravish you and I am at the end of my power to resist." Loki announced in an even tone. Tony made eye contact with him and the intensity of the gaze unnerved him.

"All right then, because it seems like my cock _really _wants you to ravish me." Tony replied.

"Must you be so vulgar?" Loki complained and was already on Tony's side of the table literally dragging him out of the chair by the back of his shirt collar. Tony had a feeling there was no hope for coming out on top that afternoon.

He was right about that, and he couldn't have cared less.

He was learning fast that sometimes he needed to not be the one in control. There really was something to be said for just letting go and being powerless to do anything but just _feel_.

Loki usually preferred some amount of foreplay; in his mind sex was an art and required some degree of attention to detail. But, as far as art goes, sometimes you just need to throw the paint at the canvas and hope for the best. This was one of those times. There was absolutely no decorum as he nearly shoved Tony into the huge canopy bed and used magic to remove both of their clothes. Undressing would just get in the way.

Tony made an absolutely futile attempt at fighting for dominance, but Loki pinned him down and took his lips in a heated kiss.

"No, I will have none of that right now, my pet. For now just take what you are given without complaint." He said, panting for breath when they finally broke the kiss. "The only say you have is how you want me to take you. And make your decision quickly because I am not feeling an overabundance of patience."

"Is it scary that I like you like this? Holy shit." Tony gasped. "Don't care. Just get to it."

Loki didn't need telling twice. He used magic to conjure some kind of oil onto his fingertips and set to work immediately. Tony gave up all resistance. Something about the maniac glint of mindless lust in Loki's was hauntingly similar to his expression when he'd grabbed Tony by the throat and thrown him out the window of his penthouse. He'd thought in that moment, for a fleeting second, that it was erotic as hell. And now... well, now the last thing he wanted was for Loki to come to his senses. The feeling of danger surrounding Loki's somewhat predatory mood was doing things to him that he couldn't possibly describe.

It was rough, fast and outright carnal.

Loki held Tony down easily with brute strength and slid into him from behind, straight to hilt in a single hard thrust. Tony moaned and buried his face in the pillows as Loki took him with quick, deep strokes that were more than a little painful until he adjusted. Tony didn't mind, though. Loki was using him like his own little fuck toy and he was loving every second of it.

"You _like_ to be used like this, don't you?" Loki purred, and nipped Tony's earlobe without slowing his pace in the slightest. Tony was completely lost in the sensation of the beautiful contrast of pain and pleasure. He was kind of glad for the nearly unbearable pressure of Loki's hands pinning his wrists to bed, it was kind of like an anchor if anything. Tony wanted to reply, but really he just couldn't. He wasn't sure he could remember his own name at the moment. In spite of his rather expansive experience with sex in general, he'd never been this utterly incoherent. Absolutely destroyed, even. Mind-blowing didn't even come close to describing it.

Unfortunately, at that pace, it didn't last long. They both reached their climax suddenly, at the exact same moment - Loki with a keening, bestial howl of bliss and Tony with a surprised gasp. Tony was vaguely aware of the fact that Loki hadn't even touched his cock, even though he was pretty sure he'd _never _came with that much force before.

Rough sex with Loki was definitely topping his mental list of the best things in life.

"I did not break you did, I?" Tony blinked as the room slowly came back into focus. "Anthony?"

"That was... _Awesome_." Tony breathed. Loki just chuckled quietly and wrapped himself around Tony.

"_Perhaps this bond is not _entirely_ horrible. I no longer have to hold anything back to avoid hurting you." _The demigod mused, running his fingers through Tony's hair. _"I have no idea _how_ exactly that works, though." _

"Who cares how?" Tony replied, still reeling. "I held you down when you tried to go after Amora somehow, but I don't have your super strength either. It must be some kind of magic. Holy shit. Did I just use 'magic' as an explanation for something? Please kill me."

"I assume it is magic, yes. This spell creates balance between two souls, apparently. Perhaps this is a side effect of that." Loki thought out loud, mostly to himself.

"Darling, stop killing the mood and just shut up and relax." Tony complained, snatching one of the hands delicately caressing his hair. Loki sighed in disapproval and fell silent, but secretly smiled as he nuzzled his face against Tony's shoulder.

* * *

**Notes:** I am aware that, yes, even in the comics Loki was married to Sigyn and had two children. But seeing as he treated her like utter crap (because it's kind of his nature…), as far as this fic is concerned – it never happened. ...Because that's just a can of worms I don't really want to open. (or try to keep canon, lol.)


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27: Nightmares**

* * *

When Taure returned from the lesson he was teaching, he found the trickster and the engineer right where he had left them. Well, relatively. Loki had his head resting on the table and seemed to be fast asleep. Tony was skimming through one of his books with obvious interest. It wasn't the content that interested him as much as the fact that he could understand the meaning of what was written there, even though the actual text looked like the bastard child of Mandarin and Sanskrit. It was a medical text, obviously, considering that the part he was reading was some kind of theory about the physical side-effects of anxiety.

He glanced at Loki's sleeping form.

Loki was the poster child for anxiety disorders. He never would have noticed it before the soul bond, but Loki was an absolute wreck on the inside. Even now Tony could see he was dreaming about going on a hunting trip with Thor, but all he cared about was that if he didn't kill something decent before nightfall he'd rather die than go back home. Loki was in the middle of working himself into a tizzy about the sunset and the fact that he hadn't found something worth killing yet. Thor was gloating about catching a giant boar, and Loki nearly lost his shit. One of the other hunters jeered at the trickster, calling him womanly because he sucked at hunting. For someone who seemed to sincerely enjoy being female every now and then, Tony was kind of surprised by the bitter resentment that Loki felt.

"He has always been like that." Tony pulled himself from Loki's dreams and turned around to see Taure walking toward them.

"He panics about everything, and nothing at the same time. Though, admittedly he does an excellent job of hiding it." Taure said perceptively and sat beside Tony, gracefully adjusting his robes as he did.

"I never noticed before, so yeah, he's pretty good at it. But he _is _the god of lies." Tony replied. Loki didn't stir. He'd finally reached his limit and more or less just passed out not long after they'd gone back downstairs. "I'm not much better, but at least I don't usually lose it unless someone I care about is in danger. ...Or if I have to go to Afghanistan on business. That never ends well." Tony was glad Taure didn't ask him to elaborate. Trying to describe a terrorist hide-out and weapons development to an elf probably wouldn't be something he'd be all that great at.

Instead the elf in question just looked at Loki curiously. His eyelids fluttered slightly as he dreamed. Tony could see that he was now sitting at a worn wooden table holding a wooden tankard of some kind of drink – assuredly alcoholic. Loki was surrounded on all sides by big, burly warriors. Thor was somewhere singing drunkenly. He stared down into his tankard's contents dejectedly, until a piece of cake flew across the room and hit him in the side of the head. Loki didn't even flinch. He didn't acknowledge the laughter that erupted, or the comments that the 'princess' had cake in her hair. He just got up and left, seething with hatred and mindless dread that someone would follow.

"Any idea why it's such a sore spot if anyone even slightly mentions that he might be a little girly?" Tony asked, frowning. Taure chuckled quietly and fixed his sapphire eyes on the engineer.

"I am not the one you should be asking. I _do _know the answer, but it is not my place to say. I will tell you this, though. Loki longs for affection and approval; he always has. It was something he never had as a child, or even as an adult. He wants to be loved, truly loved, above all else." Taure told Tony in a cryptic manner with a suggestive wink. "Having that, I think, might be the key to curing his obsessive behavior and anxiety."

"I'm not sure I know _how_ to love anyone properly. Yeah, I'm totally not the guy for the job, here." Tony said blankly.

"You already do, whether you understand it or not. You should rest, or you will _both_ be irritable and impossible to deal with in the morning." Taure told him offhandedly. Tony rolled his eyes, but knew Taure was right. _And here I thought Bruce had some kind of epic mind reading ability..._ Gently, he shook Loki awake. The demigod blinked a few times in surprise, but relaxed when he saw Taure.

"Come on Lokes, bedtime." Tony said and nodded his head in the direction of their room upstairs. Loki yawned and went without a word. The effects of the tea Taure had given him had obviously worn off, but Loki was just too tired for the crazy to come out.

"Sleep well." Taure told them as they left.

Loki had fallen asleep again almost as soon he laid down after changing into his nightclothes. Tony stayed awake for some time pondering Taure's words, and just listening to the sound of Loki's breathing. Occasionally he saw snatches of Loki's dreams that invaded his thoughts. This dream seemed better. Tony smiled slightly, when he realized that he was dreaming of watching him work on building a new suit. The Tony in the dream asked him if he wanted to help, and Loki found himself awkwardly learning how to use a welding torch. There was no sense of panic in the dream, if anything it was utterly mundane. However, Loki seemed completely content.

Tony thought of holding Loki's hand in the infirmary, and the way he'd smiled in response. _That was what Taure meant affection,_ Tony realized. Words never seemed to mean much to Loki, it was the occasional gentle touch that spoke without speaking that got through to him. Tony recalled the morning that Loki had woken from the nightmare in a panic and asked to be held. Tony hadn't thought much of it at the time. But now he knew that moment was the most vulnerable Loki was ever likely to let himself be.

_So _that's_ how you handle a psychotic demigod with anxiety and depression..._

* * *

Loki was in a cavern of some kind. It seemed to be furnished with Midgardian science equipment. It was dingy and reeked of mildew and rot. His eyes fell onto a ratty metal cot with a holey blanket. Did they really expect him to sleep on that? There was someone else there too, a thin older man wearing a dirt-stained white button down shirt and round glasses who looked world-weary and downtrodden. He was bent over a pile of papers that he was examining closely. He adjusted his glasses and looked at Loki curiously.

"Don't waste your life. Never forget." The man said, and all life vanished from his eyes. Loki jumped forward, intending to use magic to heal him, but something held him back. There were wires attached to him, coming from an odd black box on a table behind him. Shakily, he felt where they were attached to something embedded in his chest and winced in pain. He looked down at his shaking calloused, filthy hands. _Stark's hands, _he realized and looked at the dead man and the splotches of blood blossoming through his once white shirt. Carefully, he picked up the black box he was attached to, somehow knowing that it was necessary to keep him alive, and looked at the blueprints on the table. It seemed to be sketches of a primitive design of one of Stark's armored suits.

A sense of panic filled him.

_There isn't enough time._

Loki realized he wasn't in command of his own body as it moved against his will. He rummaged through a pile of tools as he heard footprints approach. He was searching for a weapon, it seemed. The metal door to the cave flew open and he whirled around brandishing a screwdriver. A group of tan skinned men all dressed in tattered clothes and carrying large guns burst through the door. They laughed at the sight of him brandishing his rusty screwdriver.

The scene seemed to shift and he was he tied to an old rusty bed frame. One of the men from earlier with a gruesome burn scar across his face came brandishing some kind of electrical instrument. Loki knew all too well what was coming and struggled against the belts holding him in place.

He woke with a grunt. Confused, he rolled over and saw Tony beside him, still asleep and writhing in the sheets that had twisted around his body.

"So even our nightmares are shared..." Loki muttered and shook Tony's shoulder. Tony came awake instantly and would have rolled off the edge of the bed if Loki hadn't grabbed his arm. He met Loki's eyes awkwardly and heaved a sigh.

"Thanks." Tony said tiredly. "For waking me up, I mean."

"Our nightmares are not so different." Loki commented bleakly, thinking of his time with the Chitauri. Tony reached over and pulled Loki against him without comment. Loki didn't resist and rested his head comfortably against Tony's shoulder.

"Not even the waking ones... While we waste time here, the Norns only know what Amora is getting up to." Loki continued in a quiet tone. Tony could feel Loki's anger, but he was substantially calmer than the day before.

"I want to agree, but what could we actually do about it? I mean, we're on some stupid emotional roller coaster from hell, sniping at every available opportunity when we're not busy going at it like horny teenagers. Frankly, being here and trying to sort it out is probably the better plan." Tony complained. "You know, even though I'd rather be back home putting the finishing touches on my new suit and ripping Amora's pretty head off."

"You are right." Loki conceded bitterly. "It is simply problematic because it is exactly what Amora wants. She is planning something, I merely do not know what. And with her, it could be something disastrous."

"Don't worry about it, between the two of us, she's fucked. ...Once we get our shit together, of course. Think about it – us working as a team and actually being able to co-operate. She doesn't stand a chance." Tony said and ran his fingers through Loki's hair absently. Loki chuckled and snuggled a little closer.

"Better late than never, as you mortals say." Loki quipped, unconsciously leaning into Tony's touch.

"I'm not mortal anymore, though." Tony retorted, still not really grasping the concept of it all. He didn't _feel _any different, after all. Well, aside from being able to sense traces of magic on objects.

Loki didn't reply. He seemed more interested in Tony's light caresses than the conversation. It felt kind of like petting a cat. Tony didn't especially mind, he rather liked the feeling of Loki cuddled up against him.

"Why do you get so defensive if someone makes a comment about your, um, feminine tendencies?" Tony asked, figuring it was safe to ask since he was relatively calm. Loki tensed immediately and tried to pull himself away. Tony let him, giving him some space, but held onto his hand loosely. When Loki didn't reply, he began tracing the lines in Loki's palm with his fingers in a soothing manner.

"It is not really connected to any kind of gender confusion or sexual insecurity, if that was what you were thinking." Loki answered after what felt like an eternity. Tony could feel the effort it took him to speak these words.

"I was always hoping to gain Odin's approval. He was never particularly interested in my study of magic – even though I was one of the most powerful sorcerers in Asgard, even as a child. Magic is a woman's art – not befitting of a future king. Men of Asgard are meant to be the fiercest of warriors, judged by their brawn and the lewdness of their drunken slurs. I tried to be like them, to match with Odin's expectations. Obviously, I never could. That is not me. Every time someone makes such comments, I cannot help but be reminded of how I was never good enough. ...How I had no place there, even in the beginning. How I… Never _belonged_. After a while I gave up trying, but I will always be 'princess' Loki to the Aesir. It is rather ironic, considering none of them have ever seen me in a female form. I was _very _careful never to let that happen." Loki explained miserably.

"Yeah, I can't pretend to know how that feels. But I _can_ do my best to imagine it, and punch the next dick that thinks you're a little fruity in the face." Tony said and brushed a strand of hair away from Loki's cheek. He felt a familiar heat awaken in his groin and ignored it. He had some degree of tact and this just wasn't the time for that.

"So, I'm absolutely useless at sitting around doing nothing. And we both know we can only tolerate shitty emotional discussions for so long. How about you try teach me some space Viking voodoo?" Tony asked in lighthearted tone. Loki finally gave him a small, tight-lipped smile. Tony counted that as a few steps in the right direction for his list of ways to handle an unstable Norse god.

"No. You… _We _are too distracted." Loki complained and cuddled back up to Tony. "Perhaps later."

"Yeah, after I give you a beating for being so dramatic and bitchy yesterday." Tony retorted and took his lips in a tender kiss.

"I was thinking… You asked me before if I could fix you." Loki said quietly and pressed his fingers against the glass casing of Tony's arc reactor. Tony slid his hand up and laced his fingers with Loki's. It was a simple gesture, but somehow overwhelmingly intimate.

"What's on your mind, Bambi?"

"I cannot fix you, but Taure may be able to." Loki said somewhat hesitantly. He had the strangest feeling that maybe Tony didn't really _want _the metal shards removed.

"I guess I should ask him." The engineer said thoughtfully. "I mean… I don't know. It's all kind of part of me now."

"That is for you to decide." Loki replied quietly. "Let me take care of this. Think of it as a reward for putting up with my, ah, 'dramatics' as you put it." He added and cupped Tony's growing erection in his hand teasingly.

"Oh? What did you have in mind?" Tony purred and kissed his forehead gently.  
There wasn't much point in asking, really. He could already sense Loki's intentions. At least the sex was the easy part to deal with. It was familiar territory, and since neither really did much thinking during the act, the bond might as well not exist during those moments.

"Something I think you will enjoy." Loki said, his eyes sparkling mischievously.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes:** Yeah, this chapter is mostly conversation and much needed plot development. It just kind of happened that way.

**Warning:** More delicious explicit sexual content! :3

* * *

**Chapter 28: The Rite of Linwe**

* * *

Tony smirked as Loki disappeared beneath the covers, trailing kisses along his stomach as he did. Even though Tony was aware of Loki's entire thought pattern, it still took him very pleasantly by surprise when the god tentatively took his length in his mouth. Tony hummed appreciatively as he sucked lightly and swallowed him whole.

Loki couldn't recall the last time he had done this specifically, only that it was always while in a female form. He would never be caught dead lying with another male unless he was a woman – it would not, in his wildest imagination, be worth the shame. Back in Asgard, anyway. None of that close-mindedness seemed to exist in Alfheim and not nearly as abundantly in Midgard. Perhaps the mortals were still little more than ants to him, but he had to admit that he was slowly starting to appreciate some parts of their surprisingly complex culture.

Either way, it had been too long.

Loki closed his eyes and let Tony's barely restrained mewls of pleasure guide him. He was good at this, he knew that much. And he thoroughly enjoyed it. Tony tasted wonderful to him, and his lust hazed mind was completely absorbed in the delicious task.

Above him, Tony gasped and squirmed against the hands holding his hips firmly in place to keep him from bucking up in Loki's mouth without his permission. He let out an exasperated gasp and forced himself to relax, losing himself in the wet heat of Loki's mouth. The trickster's mind was a blank, aside from just how completely content he was to have his mouth full of Tony's cock. As much as he'd like to bitch about this ridiculous love spell thing, Tony had to admit that the intimacy of the connection it forged was absolutely incredible in a really good way. At first it was kind of terrifying – still was sometimes. But at moments like this, they were perfectly in sync and it felt as natural as breathing.

Tony moaned quietly as Loki dragged his tongue across the slit at the tip of his shaft, tasting him like someone might savor a decadent dessert. Tony silently cursed the blankets that Loki was underneath, not that they really mattered. He could see everything Loki was doing through his eyes – when he didn't have them closed in shear bliss. He reached a hand down under the blanket and gently tangled his fingers in Loki's hair that trailed across his hips as he moved. Loki didn't seem to mind.

"_You are awesome at this." _Tony told Loki silently, not trusting himself to speak past his erratic breathing and completely uncontrollable little whimpers. Loki carefully pulled Tony's fingers out of his hair and held his hand tightly. Tony thought it felt oddly like he was holding him in place because surely he was going to just float away on little soft, fluffy clouds of contentment.

"_I know." _The demigod replied in amusement without the slightest pause in his ministrations. Tony let out a miserable whine when Loki stopped and crawled back up to kiss him deeply. Tony decided instantly that he really liked the taste of himself on Loki's lips. They made eye contact briefly as Loki positioned himself above Tony's still throbbing cock. Tony only sensed what he was doing just before he slid down and impaled himself on it with no preparation or lube other than his own saliva.

"Oh my _god._" Tony breathed, overcome by how tight he was and how _amazing _it felt. Loki moaned in a combination of much needed relief and discomfort. Tony sighed and rested his hands warmly on Loki's hips as he began to move.

"_Relax, and more importantly, just _feel_." _Tony heard Loki say in his mind as he sped up his pace after he adjusted to the feeling of Tony's length buried to the hilt inside of him. _"You think far too much during love making. Lie still, focus on the sound of your breathing and ignore everything else." _Tony snorted and smirked as Loki expertly placed light touches across his chest and stomach while he moved. Tony let his eyes slide closed and his head fall back against the pillows as he attempted to follow Loki's instructions.

It wasn't that hard, surprisingly.

Within a few seconds, his labored breathing evened and he fell into a comfortable state of total relaxation aware of absolutely nothing except for the feeling of Loki seeming to completely surround him in both body and mind. Quickly, it became total sensory overload and he wasn't sure if he wanted his release, or for it to just _never _end. Either way, he felt like a puddle of warm pudding and didn't think he could move an inch if he wanted to.

When the climax did come, Tony cried out Loki's name brokenly and his whole body convulsed with an unexpected, violent jerk. He lay there in a panting, whimpering mess as Loki continued moving for a few seconds until he reached his limit and made an absolutely carnal sound of mindless abandon and spilled himself on Tony's Stomach.

"So... Shall we have breakfast?" Loki asked, panting for breath as if it were just the most normal thing in the world.

"You are unbelievable." Tony said incredulously as his coherence started to return.

"Also rather insatiable, but I do believe the same could be said of you." Loki purred and stretched in a very cat-like manner after slowly sliding off of Tony's softening member. "So, breakfast, my pet?"

"Mmm. Yeah, fine."

* * *

"I have to ask, since it's been bugging me." Tony said, interrupting the silence as he sat at the table in the study with Taure and Loki having some kind of elvish breakfast tea. He'd never admit it to himself, but he liked it more than coffee and it didn't make him jittery like caffeine did.

"The soul bond... Why exactly does it even exist? Like, what is the point of it? If it's a law that a couple have to be together for longer than I'd even be alive under normal circumstances, why do they need some kind of magic to bind them together and force them to be closer? Wouldn't they have already achieved that by that point?"

"I have been pondering that as well..." Loki agreed, looking at Taure curiously. The master healer was dressed in an emerald green robe with gold trim that morning and had his auburn hair pulled back into a loose ponytail. Loki and Tony were clad in spare apprentice healer's robes that were white with little green leaves embroidered on the collar and sleeves for embellishment. Tony thought they both looked ridiculous and was endlessly thankful no one in Alfheim knew who he was or had a camera. Unlike Taure, he and Loki did not look like total badasses in prissy elf robes. Actually, Loki just looked a flat chested girl.

"It does not exist for practical purposes, really. It is mostly a symbolic rite of passage. It is by no means a requirement of legal marriage in Alfheim, it is entirely a spiritual undertaking." Taure explained and took a sip of his tea.

"The Rite of Linwe, as it was originally called, came to be millennia ago when the first of the elven kind walked this realm. Linwe was a princess of the elves. She had an older brother that eventually abdicated his rights to the throne in order to focus on scholarly pursuits. Linwe, however, preferred wandering the wilds and going wherever the winds took her. She would leave for great lengths of time, with only a horse for a companion. No one paid it any mind, she was an archer of legendary skill and more than capable of defending herself. One time while wandering the realm, she came upon a small farmer's hamlet inhabited by humans -"

"Wait, there are mortals in Alfheim?" Tony interjected in surprise. Taure smiled, Loki rolled his eyes.

"There are mortals in almost every realm in some form." Loki told him. "Though, the mortals of Alfheim, at least, are much longer lived than the people of Midgard. Normally they live about five hundred years. Aesir are not even truly immortal, we live for around five thousand years. The elves however, never age or die unless it is due to an injury that cannot be healed. Even then, they are reborn shortly after with all of their memories intact."

"All right, so what happened at the village?" Tony asked curiously, feeling like a kid at story time.

"That is true, and in the case the elf has a soul bond, both parties die and are reborn with the bond still intact. Anyway, Linwe stayed at the village for a while, and made many friends amongst them – most notably a young knight of her father's army who oversaw the village's finances and safety. Yes, Anthony, there are many mortals who belong to the elven king's army – by their own choice." Taure continued somewhat nostalgically.

"Anyway, the two of them became quite close. The knight, Aranil, was smitten with her the moment he laid eyes on her as Linwe was quite beautiful. It was his kindness and care for others that won Linwe's affections. When she left to continue her wandering, Aranil went with her. To make a long story short, they fell in love – an elven princess and a mortal man. Aranil's mortal fate was a cause of much anguish for them both, so Linwe sought the aid of an old and dear friend. An enchantress who lived deep in the wilds. This enchantress, whose name was since lost to the ages, invented the magic of the soul bond in secret. She knew that the only remedy for Aranil's mortal fate was to intertwine their souls magically."

"No one knows who this sorceress was?" Loki inquired with interest.

"No. There are many theories, but Linwe never revealed her identity." Taure told them. "Basically, the magic she created at that time is quite literally the same spell that was placed on the two of you. Linwe could not imagine living without Aranil at her side, and so she chose the fate of a mortal life through the enchantress' magic. Her father, of course, was furious when he found out but he did eventually forgive her. Linwe's story became something of a legend over time, a thing meant to tell the true meaning of love. Her sacrifice of her immortality to be with her one true love was admired and respected by nearly everyone in Alfheim. On the day of hers and Aranil's funeral, an unaddressed letter was delivered to the king's court mage detailing the workings of the spell that had been placed upon them."

"It was decided some time later, that in Linwe's memory all royal marriages in Alfheim would be sealed with this spell. Though, it wasn't required to be royalty – it became a service that the royal mage's guild offered for no charge. And eventually it became a rite of passage that most couples take when they are ready. Well, with some alterations to remove the effect of having to remain in one another's close proximity. The reason that was a part of it at all was because the original spell requires a full of cycle of the seasons to take full effect. Being too far apart during that time will break the connection, and not only kill both people involved but damage their souls as well. That is not a pleasant thing, when you take into account the cycle of death and rebirth of the elves. The reason it sometimes effects free will and can alter a person's perception is because of the merging of souls. If two people are too different to possibly find acceptance on their own, or entered the bond wholly unwillingly, the spell will compensate for that and force a state of balance. That... Does not normally end very well." Taure explained, and frowned slightly.

"Though, it had to be cast once for the court mage to be certain of its actual workings. My husband, Elindar, and I were the test subjects, if you will. To my knowledge every instance since would have been the modified spell. I cannot fathom where this Amora learned the original version unless she is, or has some kind of connection to the sorceress that invented it." Taure said, finally ending the story.

"Wait... You willing did that?" Tony said blankly. Taure smiled wistfully and nodded.

"I think my sister would have approved. After all, because of giving the mages the information they needed to work with, there are many elves that marry humans. Though, obviously most of them do not choose mortal lives." The healer replied thoughtfully.

"Your... Sister?" Loki asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Linwe was my sister." Taure said flatly. "It was I who gave throne of Alfheim to Frey when it fell to me to rule. It was a responsibility I never desired; Linwe was meant to be the queen one day. I spent most of my life as the commander of the military, personally leading them into battle. I was tired of it – all the utterly pointless death and pain. Honestly, it was the battle with Odin when he officially 'conquered' Alfheim that was the last straw for me. After that, I hung up my sword and chose to become a healer instead."

"The more I hear about Odin, the more of an asshole he seems to be." Tony mused.

"Indeed. He may have brought peace to the nine realms, but he did so with force and blackmail." Taure said sadly. "Thor, however, is honest and kindhearted. I am sure he will make for a much better king. At least Asgard generally stays out of our affairs here because the Lady Frigga would not abide by it. It was her demanding that, if Odin truly loved her, he would stop the war and leave Alfheim in peace. He did, obviously, but the damage was already done and in the end Alfheim needed Asgard's support to rebuild. It was a very dark chapter in our history, and began with no provocation on our side other than the desire to rule ourselves."

"All of that I knew, but I never knew you had a sister." Loki commented awkwardly.

"I miss her dearly, and all these years later I still grieve for her loss. Forgive me for never mentioning it."

"Of course." Loki replied, and stared pointedly at the dregs of tea leaves left in the bottom of his cup. Tony was surprised how bad he felt about asking.

"Well, I'm kind of curious where the fuck Amora learned the super secret beta version of this spell from." Tony said, trying to lighten the mood.

"I have no idea, but she is not old enough to be the sorceress that invented it." Loki said distantly, obviously lost in his thoughts about Taure's relation to Linwe.

"...Anyway. There's nothing we can do about that for now except hope she doesn't wreck earth while we're on our honeymoon. So, I need your help with something." Tony said with some trepidation.

"I have some shrapnel, pieces of metal, lodged in my heart from, well... We're just going to call it an accident. This thing, is basically a glorified magnet that keeps them in place so it doesn't kill me." Tony said and lightly tapped his fingers against the arc reactor which was slightly visible through the thin fabric of the elven robe he was wearing. Taure glanced at it curiously, as he had a few times since they'd arrived. Tony was actually kind of wondering why he hadn't asked what it was yet; he was obviously interested in it.

"Loki thinks you might be the only one in the universe who can dig it out without killing me." Tony finished and took a deep breath.

"...Let me see it." Taure ordered and got up from his chair to walk around the table to get a proper look. Tony loosened the robe and slipped it off his shoulders. Behind him, Loki sensed his nerves and touched his arm in a gesture of comfort. Somehow it was the smallest things that spoke the loudest. The simple touch took Tony completely by surprise and he smiled in spite of himself. Tony stood up to make it easier for Taure who was a good foot taller than him. He leaned over slightly and very carefully pressed his fingers against the glass casing.

"This device, it feels like an infinity stone." He observed. For what had to be the hundredth time, Tony explained exactly what the arc reactor was, and how it was based on the Tesseract. Taure didn't comment, he just pressed his right hand flat against Tony's chest over his heart the same way Loki had the morning when he explained how the arc reactor functioned to him. He felt the same slight sting of heat as he removed it, but also something else that must have been Taure's own unique magical signature.

"The metal shards I can remove, the device I cannot. Because of the magic within the element powering it is crafted with, it has become a part of the soul bond. Removing it would kill you as surely as the metal in your heart. However, not entirely. It does not necessarily need to be implanted as it is, taking it from its casing would not harm you once the metal is removed. Still, it would be best to leave it as it is." The master healer explained, obviously quite intrigued by it.

"So, if something happens to this – we'll snuff it?" Tony asked nervously. _Well damn, that's not much of an improvement._

"Not the device itself, just the element powering it." Taure replied. "Which, if you have a replacement of the same size and vibration close at hand, is hardly a cause for concern. It would take at least a few days for the soul bond to break without it, I assume."

"Well, that's a hell of a lot better than a couple minutes. ...I guess this is where I ask you to dig the shrapnel out of me?" Tony responded.

"Very well, that is probably for the best. No good can come of leaving it there. I should have time enough to complete the procedure in two days when the students have their weekly day of rest. It will likely take about a week for you to recover; healing it with magic afterward could do more damage than good." Taure replied.

"All right then, it's a date." Tony said, trying not to be a nervous wreck.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes: **Sorry for the lack of updates. I forgot my laptop AND my flash drive at work the other day. :c

* * *

**Chapter 29: A Visitor from Midgard**

* * *

Sometime after Taure finally left them to go teach a lesson, Tony and Loki found themselves sitting on a blanket on his balcony with their lunch. Loki mostly just stared off into the horizon seemingly anywhere but on Alfheim. Tony, however, knew that he was deeply in thought about _where_ Amora might have learned how to cast Linwe's original soul bond. After a good half hour of intensely staring at nothing, he finally turned back to Tony, knowing he'd been watching him the whole time. Wordlessly, he picked up an apple and bit into it.

Tony fidgeted a bit, but kept his mouth shut. _Compromise._ He reminded himself. Nothing drove Loki batshit more than when he chattered pointlessly to fill any kind of silence. He hated silence, though. It just reminded him of being trapped in that damn cave, and came with a almost tangible sense of oppression. But it was easier now, because there was never truly silence. Loki was always thinking about something, and if he was asleep he was usually dreaming. It was strange at first, but he was getting used to it quickly enough.

"You have nothing to be apprehensive about. If Taure had even the slightest doubt that he would be able to remove the shrapnel, or the smallest concern for any complications, he would have told you. He is also the best at what he does, even he if will never admit that. There will not be any pain." Loki finally said, breaking the oddly comfortable silence.

"Why wouldn't he want to be recognized for being the best?" Tony asked, raising his eyebrows. "A man needs his ego, you know."

"Taure feels that the arts of healing are constantly changing, as surely as disease and the weaponry that cause injury evolve. A healer must always be willing to learn new things each day. Admitting that he is the best would mean he felt that he could no longer learn anything new and it would be time for him to retire. At least that was what he told me ages ago." The trickster replied with a bored sigh.

"Anyway, I am going to teach you some things you will need to know before you begin trying to use any kind of magic. Meditation, specifically. Which is useful in itself because you will not be able to do much else while you recover after the operation." Loki told him pointedly.

"Meditation? Magic is a science, you even think of it in that way, so what's with the priestly bullshit?" Tony said rolling his eyes. Sitting still was never his strong suit. _This is going to be a nightmare._

"_Mental control is necessary."_ Loki told him. "Magic is a science in the sense of being able to harness and control your body's natural energy in order to manipulate objects and forces around you. They are very real, tangible energies. Magic cannot create something from nothing, only change things that already exist. It takes discipline and patience to master even simple spells. Elves are one of the only races that can use it with little or no training. Obviously, it also requires immense intellect. You already can use the Allspeak and read texts that are foreign to you, so I do believe you will have the mental capacity for wielding magic as well." He said aloud and picked at a piece of discolored skin on the apple he was eating.

"All right. Where do we start?" Tony asked, recognizing that Loki's comment about him having the right 'mental capacity' was probably as close to a compliment he was going to get from the god in regard to his genius. "And uh, you do realize sitting and doing nothing is something I suck at, right? So this probably isn't going to end well for either us. It'll probably just end with a lot of childish whining and bitching at each other."

"To the contrary, mediation has to do with focus and awareness of your surroundings – not doing nothing. I also think you will do just fine. When I told you to relax and focus on your breathing this morning during our lovemaking it was a test of sorts. One which you passed spectacularly." Loki replied and tossed his apple core over the edge of the balcony. Tony just shrugged, deciding to take his word for it. Loki was nothing if not manipulative. He'd already realized that the ability to share thoughts was next to useless during sex, assuming he was too wrapped in it. He must have been thinking about his 'test' while he was going to town on Tony's cock with his unreasonably skilled mouth.

The thing that freaked Tony out, was that he didn't really mind being manipulated by Loki anymore. There weren't any intentions to try and change who he was or what he believed in. It was Loki's way of giving him a shove in the direction he wanted without having to ask, because he was very uncomfortable actually asking for anything. Help, or comfort least of all. Tony was finally starting to understand Taure's comments about Loki's utter lack of trust for others, which was something he had not seen in the slightest before the soul bond. It wasn't easy for either of them, but the walls were starting to slowly crumble – both Loki's and Tony's.

"Very well, let us begin." Loki said calmly. "Find a comfortable position. It doesn't really matter where or how, though many cultures believe only certain positions are appropriate. You can experiment with that later if you care to. I personally find it makes little difference."

Tony obeyed and found himself sitting with his legs crossed and his back resting against the white stone wall beside the door to Taure's study. Loki settled about two feet across from him in a similar position and folded his hands in his lap.

"Okay, now what?" Tony asked, already bored. Loki smirked knowingly and shook his head.

"Close your eyes and do as I tell you for now. Technically you do not need to close your eyes, but it will help you focus." Loki explained.

"_Because I can't see you and be aroused by how adorable you are, darling?"_

"_Idiot."_ Loki said sarcastically. "Focus on your breathing like you did before and let your body relax. Take deep, slow breaths and try to keep them as even as possible. Do not try to ignore your surroundings, like things you hear, smell or feel. But try to stay still and do not linger on them, simply observe them – your focus needs to stay on your breathing. Begin." He told Tony aloud.

Skeptically, Tony did as he was told. Momentarily he was surprised how easily his breath fell into the controlled pattern. Keeping his focus was difficult, though. The sound of a bird singing, and a cramp forming in his right leg were distracting. Loki's mind was a total blank. The only thing he was vaguely aware of was that Tony was being horribly distracting with his... distractions.

"_How the hell do you do that?"_ Tony asked dully. Loki twitched slightly and decided to go with a different approach.

"_Focus on my breathing, and breathe with me. Try not to _think_ just observe things that pass into your consciousness." _The demigod responded telepathically. Tony felt rather than listened to the sound of Loki's breathing and fell into the pattern easily.

Loki was completely stunned by their ability to function in perfect cooperation. He knew some of it had to do with the soul bond, of course. Regardless, it really did feel like they were two halves of one whole being as they breathed together. Strangely, he doubted he had ever felt more peaceful before in all the years of his long life.

Observing things without thinking about them, Tony decided, was hard as fuck. Being a scientist by nature, he over analyzed every little detail. He got the hang of it, though. Like the slight cramp in his leg – it was there, yeah. But he didn't to think about why, if he should move or that it was because he was sitting on hard stone. Just that it was there. _Notice it, don't analyze it. _He told himself. He could sense Loki's approval of his mental reminder that the demigod took as a sign that he understood the concept. ...Even if it was easier said than done and he found himself losing focus constantly.

"That is enough." Loki said, breaking Tony's concentration. "For today, anyway. Spending too much time doing this while inexperienced will just get you frustrated and it will be even harder to accomplish rather than easier."

"So, how did I do? How long before I can shapeshift myself into Steve and run around New York butt naked with an American flag as a cape?" Tony asked with a chuckle as he stretched his stiff muscles. Oddly enough, he felt pretty good. He was clear-headed and calm in a way that was wholly unfamiliar to him.

Loki's lips curled into a smile at the mental image of Steve naked with nothing but a flag cape.

"Very well for your first attempt, and perhaps in at least a decade. My shapeshifting is something I possess naturally, but I also had to _learn_ to use it. Even if you inherit that power, you will need a solid understanding of some relatively advanced magic and sufficient confidence in using it before you attempt something like that." Loki told him, and smirked. "...As much as I would enjoy seeing our prudish friend frolic through the city naked." Tony laughed and shook his head.

"I'll give you a blowjob if _you _do it when we get back." He quipped, grinning like an idiot.

"A tempting offer. I may consider it." The awesome thing was that Tony knew he actually _was _considering it.

* * *

The following two days passed relatively uneventfully, aside from Tony getting progressively more antsy about his impending surgery. He practiced mediation with Loki twice a day, and Taure as well on the second afternoon. The healer was good company as usual, and had some useful suggestions to help Tony keep his focus. Tony was still thrown for a loop as to why he felt so at ease in his presence, hell he hadn't even given the elf an obnoxious nickname yet. Loki, on the other hand, trusted and respected Taure in a manner he wouldn't have believed the Demigod was even capable of before. Tony eventually attributed his own trust of Taure to Loki's feelings seeping through their bond. Either way, it was a good thing. Taure's acceptance of Loki, in spite of his past mistakes which he was more than aware of, was really helping Loki let go of some of the deep-rooted mental scars from Odin's shitty parenting.

On the third day, and the morning of the operation, Thor showed up. Taure was in the middle of explaining the procedure in detail when Thor burst into the study. Taure fell silent and raised his eyebrows. Loki glared daggers at him. Tony noticed he looked worried out of his mind - like he'd been ridden hard and put away wet.

"It hasn't been a week yet. You're too early to rescue us damsels in distress... Or does time pass differently here?" Tony rambled, his old habit of chattering like a squirrel worming its way to the surface due to his nerves.

"It does not." Loki confirmed. "Thor... What is wrong?" Something was definitely wrong; they could both tell.

"I am sorry brother, and Man of Iron for coming early. But there is something you need to be aware of." Thor told them wearily.

"Out with it, Point Break. I'm kind of on a tight schedule today." Tony quipped.

"It is Amora. She is working with the Doctor of Doom. Or, rather she freed him from his imprisonment." Thor explained bitterly.

"This is my fault." Loki growled and looked at Tony hopelessly, feeling more than a little lost as far as how to remedy it.

"So, what're they doing now?" Tony asked. "I need details, Blondie."

"We do not know. Man of Fury lost their trail, but nothing is amiss at the moment. …Heimdall cannot see them, either." Thor replied and sat in the empty chair on the other side of Loki.

"Fine. Come back in another week. I won't be able to fight until then, and I'm not changing my plans for that bitch if the earth isn't burning to a crisp and we don't even know where in fuck's name she is." Tony said flatly and with no room for argument.

"...Very well. I will inform the rest of the mighty Avengers." Thor replied and glanced uncertainly at Loki who was being uncharacteristically quiet. Tony knew he was seething with rage at Amora, but would rather stay in Alfheim to have the shrapnel removed from Tony's heart. ...Which was a combination of him honestly caring about Tony's health, and being terrified by the knowledge that all it would take to kill both of them was someone wrenching the arc reactor out of his chest.

"How are you faring otherwise?" Thor asked pointedly.

"Pretty well, I think." Tony answered sheepishly. Loki nodded in agreement. "So, uh, who all knows about this since I'm sure the cat's out of the bag because that's just our luck."

"Everyone." Thor said simply. "Lady Natasha thinks it is rather adorable, though she pities Loki because she believes you to be a poor lover." Tony laughed so hard his chest hurt, both at the irony and imagining the widow's reaction. "The others... Man of Fury does not believe it – he thinks you to be 'compromised'. The Captain of America is worried about both of you. I believe Amora may have more to fear from his wrath than Loki's."

Tony couldn't pretend that didn't surprise him. Steve was selfless, yeah, but they couldn't get along if someone paid them. Thank the powers that be he was bound to Loki and not Captain Steve Rogers. He'd be completely fucked and on his way to hell in hand basket with a pink ribbon tied around his cock. Still, he was oddly happy in a way that the Capcicle actually cared about his well-being. He must, after all. He and Thor both wore their hearts on their sleeves. Well, Thor more so than Steve, but still...

"I would not make a wager on that." Loki snapped icily. "Either way. You should return to them in case something happens. We cannot assist you at this moment." Even Thor sensed the newly found calm in Loki's words and his face broke into a grin. He threw his arms around both Tony and Loki who were sitting next to each other and vowed to return in a week.

"We should begin the procedure now, unless you have any other questions." Taure said to Tony once Thor had left.

"Yeah, all right. Let's get it over with." Tony said, trying to sound confident. He didn't even like being prodded at by doctors on his own planet save for Bruce who he tolerated, so this was... well, a little terrifying even if he'd rather die than admit it. He followed Taure and tried not to panic.

"_All will be well."_ Loki said reassuringly and patted Tony's shoulder in a gesture of comfort.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30: The King's Adviser**

* * *

Just as Tony and Loki got up to follow Taure, the master healer hesitated. With a frown, he looked at the closed doors that led into the main hall of the academy.

"Why now..." He whispered to himself as the doors opened and an unfamiliar elf strode into the study. He was tall and lean with waist length inky black hair tied into a neat braid. He was clad in an impressive suit of armor forged from some kind of smooth black metal with delicate gold engraving. A massive sword with a glittering emerald pommel that was almost as long as he was tall was strapped across his back.

"I am sorry to bother you like this, but Frey needs your assistance." He said to Taure and folded his arms across his chest. His bright blue eyes fell on Loki and he raised his eyebrows in a curious expression. "I did not expect to see you here, Odinson."

"I am not Odin's son, Lord Elindar." Loki replied venomously. The elf smiled knowingly.

"What is it the king needs so dearly for you to have come in person?" Taure inquired, knowing he was most likely not going to like the answer. Elindar sighed heavily and shook his head.

"You could say it is a crisis of sorts. Asgard has called for our aid. Honestly, I was assuming Odin meant Loki has been up to his old tricks, but seeing as he is here... I suppose that is unlikely. " Elindar explained and glanced meaningfully at Loki.

"Will there ever be a day I cease to be judged by my past transgressions?" Loki groused.

"Regardless, several of the Einherjar were killed and the Bifrost is, once again, quite useless. ...Not to say that we ever managed to actually _finish _repairing it the first time." Elindar continued, completely ignoring Loki.

"Why the fuck did Thor not tell us any of this five minutes ago?" Tony interjected in disbelief.

"He may not have known. I doubt he returned to Asgard for any reason with Amora loose on Midgard. Who, Elindar, is probably behind this crisis of yours in some way." Loki told them as if it should have been the most obvious thing in the world.

"I have a patient to see to." Taure said and nodded to Tony. "We can discuss this at length afterward."

"_I will get to the bottom of this."_ Loki told Tony as the billionaire followed Taure out of the Study. Loki stayed behind with Elindar. Taure's apprentice would be assisting, and it was the room right above the study, so it wouldn't put any strain on the soul bond's minimum distance requirement if Loki stayed behind. "Why would she attack Asgard?" Loki thought aloud, mostly to himself.

Elindar scrutinized him in silence for a moment. It was definitely the same Loki he had known for nearly two millennia – the same runt frost giant prince that Odin had stolen from a temple during the conquest of Jotunheim. Only, he seemed changed somehow. Well, of course he was. Elindar had heard of his failed attempt to gain kingship of Midgard with the Chitauri for allies. He had wondered for a while if Loki had not been acting upon his own will at the time. The foster son of Odin that he knew would never ally himself with such foul beings.

"I do not know her motivation, only that she has stolen the Tesseract. Odin believes that you were the one who took it." Elindar said, breaking the silence.

_I should not be surprised... and yet... Why am I so angry to hear such a thing?_ Loki thought, feeling even more betrayed than usual where Odin was concerned.

"His ignorance will be the death of him one day." Loki grumbled and sat at the table, feigning nonchalance. _The Tesseract? But why? What does she hope to achieve?_

Elindar gracefully sat across from Loki and fixed him with a withering stare. Loki had often wondered if the legendary elven swordsman had the power to read minds. Honestly, it would not surprise him.

"Tell me what this Amora was doing on Midgard." He demanded. Loki glared at him. He and Taure were total polar opposites. Taure was gentle, soft-spoken and utterly selfless to a fault. Elindar, on the other hand, was strong-willed, passionate and behaved very much like the wise elven general he was. He was intimidating, yes, but not unkind.

Loki told him what little he knew about Amora's actions. Mostly, all he _did_ know was her relatively harmless enthrallment of the congressman and his ill-fated attempt at making a deal with her. He did mention her usage of Linwe's original soul bond spell with no small amount of shame. Thankfully, Elindar made no comment on that particular subject.

"I cannot fathom where she would have learned that magic." Elindar said sympathetically. "Unfortunately, spellcraft is Taure's area of expertise, not mine. Well, unless you count forging some of the finest enchanted weapons and armor in the nine realms. Though, that is entirely different magic that is born of the earth beneath us, rather than of the air and spirit like a soul bond."

"True, I had hoped perhaps you knew more." Loki replied with a sigh.

"As I had hoped of you. Either way, it is certainly good to see you on the righteous path. I would hate to have to deal with your scheming had you been involved in this any more than you are. You always were a pain in the ass." The King's adviser said. "I am going to leave for now. I will return in the evening." He added shortly and left Loki alone in the study.

Loki yawned tiredly and rested his head on the table. He closed his eyes and reached out to Tony's consciousness. It was absolutely blank, as expected. He had told Taure of Tony's tendency for nightmares and anxiety that weren't much better than his own. Obviously, Taure had given him an anesthetic that forced dreamless sleep. That was probably for the better.

Loki got up and paced the length of the study a few times, lost in his thoughts regarding Amora's treachery. He doubted Odin would have asked for Alfheim's aid regarding the Tesseract unless they were truly desperate. He would be afraid the elves would desire it for themselves, greedy as he was. However, if Odin blamed him and found out he was staying in Lior... It could mean another war.

Loki went out onto the balcony and leaned against the rail. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply as a gentle breeze played through his hair. He felt like a caged animal. It wasn't that he was bored, it was that something was _missing_. He knew it was the presence of Tony's near ceaseless mental chatter. It was annoying at times, of course, but without it he felt empty. _Infuriating not-mortal, _Loki thought to himself with little conviction and found a comfortable place to sit below the shade of a huge tree that hung over the edge of the balcony.

He might as well try to meditate, the Norns knew it had been impossible with Tony's thoughts invading his mind constantly. Nothing would push them away. It seemed that the only way it would work was if Tony managed to learn to properly clear his mind and they meditated together.

It was a pointless endeavor; his thoughts kept wandering to the room upstairs.

Dismally, Loki dragged himself to his feet and returned to the study. He needn't worry. His pet was in good hands, and if he was in any danger of dying he would feel it. Well, he assumed he would at least.

He strode though the many neatly arranged shelves of books that he knew were mostly Taure's own research journals, until a certain volume caught his eye. He carefully removed the large old tome from the shelf, thinking to himself that if Taure was not so anal about cleaning that it would be covered in dust. The way the binding creaked when he opened it suggested that no one had touched it in half an age.

"Second Age, mid Spring." Loki read the faded hand lettered writing on the spine aloud. "Notes in Regards to the 'soul bond'. Hmm... I wonder." It was Taure's notes of his own personal experiences during the first year of his and Elindar's soul bond. Curiously, Loki flipped through the first few pages which were mostly some hastily drawn theories for removing the minimum distance requirements of the spell. The first thing that caught his attention was Taure's theory for the necessity of it requiring such intense sexual desire. Basically, the more sex they had, the more in sync they felt. Which made sense. Apparently the magic took about a year to fully mature and complete the union of two souls into one. The more intimate they were, the faster that process happened.

Loki shut the book and put it back in its place. Dealing with it was aggravating enough without reading even more into it. Never mind that reading Taure's personal thoughts in regards to his and Elindar's relationship felt like a major invasion of privacy. He picked up another book, this one detailing certain herbs and their medicinal properties. He knew it by heart, having studied it extensively during his last stay in Alfheim. Perhaps it could distract him for a bit.

Five minutes later he put it back and started pacing again. The silence was driving him mad. It felt like being in his cell in Asgard all over again, even if it was only because of the quiet rather than being held there. He glanced at the doors the hall and tried to reach Tony again. Still nothing. When had he grown so accustomed to and comfortable with Tony's thoughts invading his own? Not being able to hear, or really even feel him was playing havoc on Loki's nerves.

Anxiously, he started looking for a book again. Just as he reached for a guide to caring for infected wounds for the sake of reading _something,_ he heard the doors open. He whirled around and almost tripped, only to see Taure's apprentice, Liriel, standing there alone. Loki and Tony had met her a few times in passing. She was kind spirited and a little flighty, but took her studies very seriously.

"Master Taure sent me to tell you that it will be at least another hour. It is rather delicate work." She informed him with a soft smile. Liriel was a willowy little creature with delicate, girlish features and a small stature. Her white-blonde hair and pale skin gave her an almost ethereal appearance.

"Thank for informing me." Loki told her, barely suppressing the urge to just follow her and at least sit with Tony in spite of Taure's refusal to allow him in the room. He knew it was because he would be in the way, but that didn't stop him wanting to be of help. Liriel nodded and left him.

Loki resumed his pacing, wondering how in the nine realms he was going to survive another hour.

"Tea." He said to himself and half ran to the oak cabinet were Taure kept a small supply of dried medicinal herbs in case he needed them in his study to experiment with. Loki carefully measured out the ingredients for the tea Taure had made to calm his anxiety. As he put the water in the hearth to boil, he realized he hadn't actually needed it since that first day. Every time he showed any signs of distress, Tony had managed to calm him somehow – either with gentle, caring caresses or some form of his witty sarcasm. How had Tony so easily managed to have such an effect on him? Thinking about it, Loki couldn't even remember having an actual argument with him since the time Tony nearly left him on the side of highway.

When the tea was done brewing, it was nearly sunset. Loki curled up on the floor of the balcony in the spot under the tree with his tea. He sipped it slowly and felt the panic and restlessness slip away almost immediately. It did nothing for the glaring void of Tony's consciousness that cut literally into his very soul. He felt hollow, like something very important was missing.

Loki was so lost in his thoughts, he didn't hear when someone entered the empty study behind him.

"Brother Loki, Man of Iron? Are you here?" _Thor._ Loki blinked and stared down into his tea with a scowl. He did not need this right now.

"On the balcony, Thor." Loki replied, wanting to be annoyed by Thor's presence but feeling too calm to particularly care.

"Ah, there you are... Where is man of Iron?" Thor asked and sat on the ground in front of him. Loki explained the metal shards in Tony's heart and that Taure was upstairs removing them. Thor didn't seem all that interested.

"Brother, the Tesseract -" Thor began.

"I know, Frey's adviser was here shortly after you left. Apparently Odin believes it was I who stole it. You should know that is physically impossible, considering circumstances." Loki drawled and swallowed the last of the tea.

"I know that. 'Twas Amora." Thor said bitterly.

"Why?"

"I do not know."

Loki looked up at him curiously and sat the empty teacup aside. Blue eyes met green ones. "You never were a good liar, Thor. What do you know?"

"Can you travel to Midgard without the Tesseract or Bifrost?" Thor asked, ignoring the question.

"Obviously. You already know the answer to that. What do you know?" Loki repeated.

"We need to return as soon as we are able." Thor said, ignoring the question.

"Thor?" Loki said questioningly as the Thunderer swung his hammer and launched himself in the darkening sky without so much as a farewell. Now that, Loki knew, was not a good sign.

Confused and more than a little tired, Loki wandered back into the study just as Taure _finally _walked in with Liriel at his side. He smiled at the mixture of worry and relief on Loki's face.

"He will wake in a few minutes. I've put him in your room. All went well." Taure said, and Loki was halfway up the stairs before the words even left his mouth.

* * *

Tony woke to the sound of Loki quietly calling his name. He blinked a few times, feeling a little disoriented. If it weren't for the tight bandaging he could feel wrapped around him, he'd swear he had only just closed his eyes and not, in fact, been unconscious for a few hours. He grinned vacantly at Loki who very gently ran his fingers through his hair.

"Did you miss me, sweetheart?" Tony asked. Loki chuckled quietly and shook his head.

"_Very much._ How do you feel? Is there any pain?" Loki replied.

"Nope, nothing. And I'm not even stoned. How does that even work?" Tony said as he tried to adjust his pillow, but barely had the strength required to lift his arm. Loki, sensing his intentions, did it for him and tucked his blankets around him snugly.

"There will not be any pain, but that does not mean you can move freely. It will be about a week before you can without the danger of causing yourself further harm." Tony and Loki both turned their heads to see Taure standing in the doorway. "Either way, I have to leave. There is a delicate situation in the capitol that requires my attention immediately and I must set out at once. Loki is more than capable of caring for you."

Once Taure left, Loki sighed miserably. _So I am to play nursemaid now..._

"We received some bad news while you were unconscious." Loki said dully.

"I'm not going to like this, am I?" Tony asked rhetorically.

"Amora and Doom have the Tesseract." Loki said simply, and thoroughly agreed with the string of foul Midgardian swearing that escaped Tony's lips.

* * *

So, more plot development. I promise there's going to be some action soon. :3


	31. Chapter 31

**Warning:** Sexual content ahead! Light bondage and masturbation.

...This may just be my favorite chapter so far.

Updates will be coming a little slower since I'm in the middle of moving. :c

* * *

**Chapter 31:** It's like phone sex, but better.

* * *

"I can't just fucking lay here and do nothing while they have the Tesseract!" Tony whined, glowering at Loki who was sitting on the edge of his bed nibbling on some kind of intolerably sweet elvish pastry. Loki entirely ignored him and delicately licked honey from his fingertips. When he realized there was no hope for a reply, mental or otherwise, Tony sighed obnoxiously and stared vacantly at Loki's reflection in the wall length mirror that was mounted on the wall across from the bed.

Loki was in one of his moods, there was no denying that. It had been two days since Taure left to head to the capitol. Two days that Tony spent sleeping and pitifully failing at practicing meditation. He was at the end of his patience, and he still had at least five days to go before he could actually _do_ anything.

_I totally can't take this anymore._

"Stop being dramatic, Stark. You can, and _will, _lay there until you are sufficiently healed. If you do not, I will sedate you. The Norns know I would appreciate the quiet." Loki snapped and glared at him.

"Back to Stark, are we? You know how much I hate that." Loki made no reply, he just pushed himself off the bed and went down the stairs into the study. It was a futile escape attempt considering that Tony could hear his every thought, but he assumed not being able to actually see him must be an improvement in Loki's mind. Maybe safer for the both of them, too. Tony could feel him seething with a lethal combination of barely restrained rage and cabin fever. In other words, Loki was bored and _very _angry.

_That won't end well..._

At least the distance they could be apart had been rapidly increasing. Loki had taken to wandering the Academy's grounds while Tony slept. As long as he didn't stray into the woods, it was within the limits of the bond. Tony estimated it at about a two hundred foot radius. That was way better than the 30 feet they started with. Still, he wanted out of that bed and it was driving him nuts.

"_Reindeer Games?" _He was met with silence and a twinge of annoyance.

"_Hello? Bambi? You in?"_ More silence, and irritation quickly transforming into anger.

"Jesus fucking Christ! What is your problem, Princess?" Tony shouted. "I just want your help with something!"

_Meaning my cock wants your help with something..._

* * *

Loki narrowed his eyes and growled. He pinched the bridge of his nose in a near perfect imitation of a certain doctor with anger issues. _Infuriating... I can't - _

"It seems that the Man of Iron requires your assistance, brother." Loki ignored Thor who was sitting at the table with a whole plate of the honey and nut pastries that Liriel had made for them that morning. It seemed that the young elven woman was somewhat fond of Thor. Poor thing. He had eyes only for Jane.

Thor had returned shortly after Taure left them. He'd tried to get an audience with Frey, but the elven king was off somewhere with the military. With the Bifrost out of commission, and the Tesseract missing, Thor was effectively trapped in Alfheim. Unfortunately, the thunderer's presence was doing nothing to improve Loki's mood. ...Especially considering that he felt like a bitch in heat, but he didn't _dare _try to do anything about it because of harming Tony or being walked in on by Thor, who never did learn the meaning of a closed door.

Really though, it was horrible. He couldn't read without some obscene image popping into his head unbidden, or even so much as move without the friction of his clothing doing unreasonable things to his libido.

"What ails you, Loki? You are distant. More so than usual." Thor commented. Loki sank into the chair across the table from him and took another one of the pastries. He ate it distractedly, continuing to ignore both Thor and Tony's outbursts. When he was finished, he languidly licked a bit of honey from the tip of his index finger. As he did, an image passed through his thoughts of Tony licking whipped cream off the tip of his -

"No! ENOUGH!" Loki huffed, fully hard and more frustrated than he could ever remember being. _"Leave me alone, please. Unless you are in pain." _He added to Tony as he stalked out onto the balcony and curled up against the railing under the shade of the large oak that hung over it. He heard the scraping of Thor's chair as he got up to follow him.

"Stay in there, Thor. I require privacy. ...In so much as I can actually have." Loki snarled, hoping he'd managed to hide his arousal as he rushed out of the study. He didn't need to deal with Thor's questions. Thor didn't reply, but Loki could easily picture how he must be sulking. He was even more stir-crazy than Tony. Being stuck in Lior was driving him insane.

Loki was entirely too aroused to be bothered by it.

Actually, let Thor go right ahead and waltz out there. Loki didn't really mind if he saw him leaning against the balcony railing as he pleasured himself whimpering Tony's name.

He really was beyond caring. He needed release and he needed it _now._

Loki leaned back against the railing and moaned quietly in relief as he unbuckled his pants and slipped his hand around his throbbing erection.

"_You aren't seriously doing that without me..." _He heard Tony complain.

"_As much as I love causing you pain, I would prefer to avoid permanent injury." _Loki replied feeling much less irritable as he stroked himself slowly and pulled his cock free of his leather pants that were entirely too tight.

"_Fine. But I get to talk dirty to you while you do it." _Loki paid him no mind and rubbed his thumb across the slit at the tip of his shaft. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. It wasn't as good as having Tony's hands on him, but it would have to do.

"_Tell me everything you want me to do to you next time I have you in a bed." _Loki told Tony, deciding to play along with his idiocy.

"_Well, I really love it when you tie me up. And who says it has to be a bed?"" _Tony suggested. _"I want to you to tie me to the table in my workshop."_

"_Mm, and then what?" _Loki asked, imagining the delicious image of Tony spread across the cold metal surface straining with need. Loki licked his lips and stroked himself with a quick, light pace. He felt his breath hitch as realized that Tony was touching himself in time with him.

"_Mind your heart rate. You are not to do anything... Strenuous." _Loki chastised him.

"_Don't change the subject. After you tie me to the worktable, I want you to devour me. I want to feel your mouth on me everywhere." _Tony continued. Loki fantasized about the flavor of Tony's skin on his tongue as he trailed soft kisses across his chest, stopping to suck lightly at each nipple. The soft moan he heard from Tony, who saw the images in perfect detail, was a wonderful reward for his dirty fantasies.

"_And after I taste every last inch of you?" _Loki inquired, relaxing as he felt his climax fast approaching. He kept his pace slow, knowing Tony was mirroring his movements.

"_Then you are going to climb on top of me and ride my cock like your life depends on it." _Loki moaned loudly and used his free hand to gently slip two fingers inside of himself.

"_Like this, my pet?"_ Loki asked sweetly, pressing himself onto his fingers and calling another obscene image to mind. He took Tony to the hilt in one movement and ground his hips tightly against the engineer's. It wasn't hard to imagine the wonderful sensation of Tony's cock stretching and filling him to the brim. One of Loki's fingers brushed his prostate and he made a desperate mewling sound as the edge quickly approached.

"_Just like that. Oh God yes. _My_ God. You know I love you, right?"_ Tony told him. That was Loki's undoing and he came with a loud gasp, imagining Tony's heat filling him. He felt Tony's orgasm as it passed and slumped against the railing. Panting, Loki snapped his fingers and the evidence of his release staining his clothing vanished. Realizing that it was only a matter of time until Thor came looking for him, Loki pulled his pants back up and tried to steady his breathing.

"_We totally need to do that again. Preferably when I'm in a boring ass board meeting... Actually can you just hide under the conference table and blow me?" _Loki must have made quite the picture, his cheeks flushed and clothes disheveled as he fell into near hysterics at the thought of infiltrating the Stark Industries corporate office to stealthily pleasure Tony.

"Brother, are you ill?" Loki fell silent and cracked open one eye to look at Thor who was looking down at him with concern. He couldn't even be angry with Thor for his poor timing. At least he managed to put his pants back on before he came looking. ...This time, anyway.

"No. Sexually frustrated, Norns yes. Not ill." Loki grumbled and stretched his sore back. _The balcony may not have been the most comfortable option... Though it was the closest._

"Should I... Do you need -"

"If you finish that sentence with anything implying fetching me a maiden, I will murder you where you stand." Loki said with a sweet smile. "Leave me." Thor nodded and vanished back into the study. Loki drummed his fingers on the stone floor beneath him.

"Thor! I want you to send for Liriel, I need to ask her some questions concerning Anthony's procedure." Loki called as the thunderer left.

"Aye, but you should make your self presentable. You look... indecent." Loki bit back a sarcastic remark, stunned by the realization that he'd almost – _almost –_ called Thor the God of Prudes. Tony's habit of stupid nicknames was starting to rub off on him. That couldn't be a good thing.

* * *

"You called for me?" Liriel asked as she entered the study some time later. "I am sorry I could not come sooner. Master Taure left me with, well, a revolting amount of work and patients to care for."

Loki looked up from the book he was reading, Taure's notes on how various psychological conditions could cause physical illness. "I want you to explain, in detail, the procedure used to remove the metal shards from Anthony's heart. I am running out of time to waste here, and I need to know if using magic to heal it and be done with it will harm him."

"I would not advise it, but it _should _be possible. The metal was not in his heart, just near it. The device he created prevented that." Liriel explained and went into the more gruesome details. Thor listened with interest, even if he had no idea what they were actually talking about.

As Loki listened, he weighed the pros and cons of the situation. He could easily just heal Tony. It would hurt him, for a moment at least, which he would rather avoid. Liriel believed that there was little chance of causing any damage as Taure had already used magic to accelerate the healing process. Her biggest worry was that Loki's magic would interfere with that. Loki saw it as a minor trifle. He was familiar with Taure's magic, and altering the spell would be simple work. It was actually better than doing it all himself because it meant that Tony's body already had time to adjust to it. And then there was the soul bond. Loki's magic may have no effect at all, just as Tony had been able to hold him down when he was injured.

"Don't tell Taure about this, unless of course he gets back before the weekend because then it will be obvious." Loki said flippantly. Liriel paled but nodded.

"Be careful. The soul bond may not react favorably." She warned him. Loki nodded, silently wishing she hadn't thought of it, or known. "Here, Taure meat to give you this, I think." Liriel added and handed Loki a small glass vial. Inside of it were the tiny shards of metal that Taure had removed from Tony's body. He stared thoughtfully at it for a moment, and slipped it into his pants pocket.

Liriel refused to leave in case Loki did something stupid, and hovered in the study with Thor while Loki went upstairs. He absolutely would _not_ allow her in the room.

* * *

"So, were you going to let me on this little plan?" Tony asked as Loki entered the room.

"I was not expecting you to complain. And, for your information, it just occurred to me now that it may be a possibility." Loki quipped and sat on the bed beside him. "It will hurt."

"I know."

"It may do nothing, or it could make it worse." The trickster explained.

"I know."

"The soul bond may not -"

"I know, I can hear everything you say and think, remember? Just do it."

_Idiot, _Loki thought to himself affectionately. _My idiot, _he corrected himself. Tony chuckled and gave him a look that quite plainly asked him what he was waiting for. Not wanting to hesitate long enough to doubt himself, Loki carefully removed the bandages that he'd changed less than an hour ago. Taure's neat stitches were healing well and there was no indication or infection or irritation. That was a good sign.

Loki took a deep breath and laid his hands across the precisely made incisions. He felt the tingle of Taure's spellwork and grasped onto it with his mind. It was a simple, easily altered spell. Taure may have been intending to do just what Loki was planning himself, after observing Tony for a few days. The easiest, and probably most painless, way to do it was to speed up the healing process to a few minutes instead of a few days. He let his magic flow into Taure's enchantment and did just that. He felt the brief surge of burning pain that passed through Tony just as he gasped in surprise. Loki held his focus until he felt the last bit of marred skin stitch itself seamlessly back together, the magic dissipating as it did.

When he opened his eyes and removed his hands from Tony's chest, the skin was unmarked but for the stitches that would be easy enough to remove. He sighed in relief.

"How do you feel?" He asked.

"Totally fine." Tony replied. "Can we go home now?"

"Yes. Just let me remove the stitches." Loki said, and they vanished with a flick of his fingers. "Get dressed. I will go inform Liriel that I managed to do this without killing you. Or... I could just keep her guessing. I think she is nursing an ulcer."

Tony chuckled and ruffled Loki's hair. "Don't be a shithead, Darling."

"So, what are you going to with the pieces of shrapnel she gave you?" Tony asked just as Loki reached the door. He really did notice every little detail, the demigod hated to admit.

"...I was planning to keep them." He said sheepishly, feeling a blush tint his cheeks.

"I never took you for the sentimental sort, Honey." The engineer said with a lopsided smile.

"I am sometimes, about very particular things." Loki conceded enigmatically.

"Magpie." Tony said, rolling his eyes.

"Excuse me?"

"You're like a magpie. You know, sneaky little birds that like to steal things, horde little trinkets and kind of strut around like they own the place?" Tony elaborated as Loki walked back over to him with a curious expression on his face. "I was wondering why that was always your safeword of choice. Now I know."

"Magpies also mate for life." Loki said in a breathy whisper and kissed Tony softly. "Now get dressed."

"Yes, dear." Tony said brightly, knowing the statement was basically a very Loki way of saying 'I love you'.


	32. Chapter 32

**Warning:** Explicit sexual content, het. (Lady Loki/Tony) Also a pretty long chapter because I didn't want to break it up.

Probably typos. If someone wants to beta future chapters of this, let me know. I've reached the end of what I've had written already and won't have much time because life is being shitty.

* * *

**Chapter 32: Valkyrie**

* * *

"Hey Sweetpea, hand me that wrench – no, the other one." Tony directed, pointing at a pile of tools tossed on the worktable in his shop back in Malibu.

"What is a 'wrench', exactly?" Loki asked, frowning as he picked through the tools. Tony rolled his eyes and called an image of the tool to mind, knowing Loki could see it. It was so much easier than trying to describe it, or getting it himself.

_Thank God, or maybe it should be the Norns, for small blessings._

They had been back in Midgard for two days. There were no signs of Amora and Doom as of yet. Either way, Tony had instantly decided that he was going to have Loki give him a better explanation of his secret pathways once everything was said and done. Maybe he'd even get the demigod to draw some maps of the ones he knew about. ...Because like hell if Tony wasn't going to unravel the secrets of what _had _to be defying the laws of physics. Seriously though, flying through an invisible portal and popping out on an entirely different planet?

_Fucking cool as shit! _

Well, Thor obviously disagreed. Tony had wound up with a lap full of Vomit when the three of them appeared out of thin air in the ruins of the SHIELD base that Loki had stolen the Tesseract from. Loki had set his cape on fire and laughed at him, actually _laughed_, without the faintest trace of the fake smile that they were so used to seeing. Tony and Thor almost forgot about the vomit in the lap of Tony's favorite jeans when they saw Loki's eyes sparkle with mirth.

So, maybe they had no idea what Amora and Doom were scheming, but Tony intended to be ready for them when they did. Well, as ready as he could be. That being said, he had a suit to build – and an excellent assistant. Being able to show Loki exactly what to do with his thoughts was ungodly useful. Loki seemed to have an affinity for metal work, and Tony had him craft most of the outer plating. He also picked up on other tasks easily, and was able to both decipher Tony's electronic blueprints and use Jarvis to expand them so he could make the pieces needed – all by the end of the first afternoon.

Tony wasn't sure if he should be amazed or terrified by how easily Loki understood technology. But then, he assumed that a good part of it was because of the soul bond and his thoughts guiding him. It was almost like Loki's apparent affinity for tech came to him in the same way that Tony was slowly inheriting some his magic. ...Unless it was, in a way, a magic all of it's own. That thought had crossed Tony's mind a few times, but he hadn't said it aloud. Luckily, Loki had been too focused on his work to really care.

Working together was oddly intimate. Tony _never _allowed anyone in his workshop except Pepper and sometimes Bruce. And he only helped Bruce with his own projects. Letting someone not only assist him, but actually do half the actual building of one of his Iron Man suits was an entirely new experience. ...One Loki knew and appreciated as the ultimate sign of trust. Whatever the case, they worked well together and Loki's work was no less meticulous than Tony's.

"...Valkyrie?" Loki asked, incredulously as he looked over the next set of blueprints and noticed the title of the design hidden at the bottom of the 3D hologram for the first time. "You named your creation after the maidens who choose slain warriors to become Einherjar?"

Tony's face turned a little pink and he sheepishly turned to look over at Loki. "It's actually the Mark 43. ...As far as anyone else needs to know." He explained, and thought of what he was going to need to do to make the prehensile assembly thing work in order to _not _think of how Loki had partially been the inspiration for the design.

"Hm. What will it look like when it is done? Jarvis, will you show me what the complete render looks like please?" Loki asked curiously. Tony inwardly cursed Jarvis out for being a traitor when the full render appeared - complete in its black, green and gold color scheme.

"Here you are, Sir. The Mark 43: Valkyrie is to date the most lightweight model with the highest capability for freedom of movement. Mr. Stark has not yet completed the necessary calculations for the prehensile assembly, but it can easily be altered at a later date once constructed." The AI replied.

"You changed the color scheme." Loki said pointedly and gave Tony an odd look.

"Yeah, thought I could do with a little change." The engineer said with a shrug. "I was going nowhere fast, but somehow that idiocy with you saving my life... Well, you were... You saved me from myself, too."

Loki smiled fondly and touched the hologram to bring up an expanded view. "You can use magic for the assembly. That should be simple enough for you to learn, and less likely to cause you bodily harm." Even if the demigod made no comment about Tony's sentimentality, he could feel the warmth in Loki's chest as he understood what it meant to Tony.

"I suppose I can refrain from telling anyone that your new toy is a battle _maiden_." He added with a wolfish grin and Tony muttered in mock disgust. Loki liked the design of the suit; the intricate interlocking plates reminded him of the armor the elves made that was both lightweight and crafted with painstaking detail.

"Yeah fine. It's about damn time I learned some space Viking voodoo." Tony said offhandedly. "How is the plating for the torso coming?"

"Almost there. I have four more plates to make for the left side. The twelve plates for the right side are done." Loki told him and gestured toward a pile of what would have looked like scrap metal to an untrained eye. "I also took the liberty of applying a simple enchantment for durability to all of the outer casing I have made so far, seeing as you lack the physical resistance that I possess. It will take ten times the strength of Mjolnir to so much as dent the metal."

Tony whistled appreciatively. "Awesome. I can't wait to give Skurge the ass-whooping of the century when I see him again." He said and winked. Loki smiled knowingly and assured him that Skurge wouldn't be able to so much as scratch him, unlike the last time that left him with bruised ribs and a mangled suit.

They both went back to their work in silence, Loki forging the plates for the torso of the suit and Tony carefully constructing the inner circuitry.

Loki loved working with metal, it was something he'd learned at a very young age while visiting Alfheim with his mother. He was about five years old when Frigga had left him with Frey's adviser for the day. Elindar had taken him to the forge with him and Loki, curious as ever, had a hundred and one questions about how it all worked. Elindar decided to just show him instead of trying to explain; he had always preferred _doing _to listening. Loki, it seemed, learned in a similar fashion. He taught him how to make small things, like a dagger and a small gold pendant. Elindar had also shown him how to enchant objects with magic that day as well, and added a powerful spell for protection to the pendant that Loki made. ...It hadn't been enough to protect him from Thanos, but Loki had that little charm to thank for saving him from a multitude of attempted magical assaults. Even though its enchantment had thoroughly faded over time, Loki still wore it at all times.

_I _am_ like a magpie, _He thought to himself as he placed a sheet of the gold and titanium alloy into the furnace to heat. Absently, Loki reached inside the collar of his shirt and wrapped the thin gold chain around his index finger as if reminding himself that, yes, he was still wearing it.

"You never take that off, do you?" Tony asked from the other side of the shop while he waited for some solder to cool on a piece of circuit board. "You know, that was how I recognized you the second time I saw you in a female form. I mean, okay let's be honest here, I remembered your tits, but the necklace too."

"No, I never take it off." Loki said simply. "It was the first thing I made. I suppose all I really did was swing the hammer, but it is sentimental to me nonetheless."

"Magpie." Tony said with fondness in his voice. Loki secretly smiled to himself as he used a pair of tongs to pull the now red hot glowing metal from the furnace. He gripped the rounded hammer tightly and struck with confidence as he shaped the metal. He had forgotten how much he loved this – the scent of hot metal in the air and the ringing in his ears as he rhythmically pounded it into the desired form. He'd always despised heat, considering his Jotunn nature, but somehow the warmth of a forge felt different – comforting and familiar.

Loki dropped the plate of carefully shaped metal into a bucket of cold water and watched as it hissed and bubbled while it cooled. He took it out and inspected it. Finding it satisfactory, he laid it on the table and used ash to trace an ornate magic diagram in the center of the plate. Loki pressed his fingers to the ash circle and allowed his power to flow into it.

The way it actually worked was that in the event of an impending impact, the air surrounding the metal would instantly become too dense to be penetrated, creating an invisible shield. The only thing that could break through it would be magic wielded with precision and knowledge of the specific enchantment, or enough sheer force. He didn't worry much about the magic, the enchantment would be impossible to discern to anyone but him and possibly Tony – he had learned from the best, after all. As for force, well, there were few living things with that much brute strength.

Loki cleaned the ashes off and laid it in the pile with the rest.

_Three more to go,_ he told himself and wiped sweat from his brow.

* * *

"So, I'm honestly curious here." Tony wheedled, prodding Loki who was curled up comfortably beside him in their bed and thoroughly exhausted from working all day. "Does it feel better to have sex as a male or female?"

Loki rolled over and glared at him. "I am too tired for this nonsense, unless you feel like putting your mouth to good use. Actually, please do that. It will be too difficult for you to babble incessantly with your mouth full of my manhood." He snapped, but there was no venom in his voice.

"Can't you just answer? I'm _really _dying to know." Tony whined. "Come on Buttercup. Tell me."

"As a male, _obviously_. There is no climax as a woman." Loki muttered, burying his face in Tony's pillow. All he really wanted to do was sleep but, as usual, the soul bond's ridiculous magically enhanced sexual desire just _had _to come between him and his much needed rest. He tried desperately to ignore the beginnings of arousal.

"Wait. _What_?" Tony said, sitting up and looking down at him curiously. "You are_ joking_ right? You've _never_ came as a woman?"

"No." Loki said icily. "It is not possible. Sometimes I thought I might, but no, never."

"Holy fuck. You better turn yourself into your female form of choice, because you are totally wrong there, Reindeer Games." Tony said, struggling not to laugh. "I guess Asgardian men don't know how to handle their ladies properly. Want me to show you how it's done?" He added with a suggestive wink, while thinking to himself that _Oh please do it, I want this so fucking badly..._

Loki rolled over onto his back with an irritated sigh. He closed his eyes and envisioned the form of his choosing – the one he had worn when Stark first noticed him in the Starbucks. Shapeshifting felt as natural to him as breathing, almost like stretching stiff muscles or scratching a persistent itch.

Loki opened _her _eyes and looked up a Tony questioningly.

"You have a body a goddess would envy, are you aware of that?" Tony asked rhetorically and ran his hands along Loki's shapely hips. She bit her lower lip and relaxed into the touch. Being a woman was different. It meant being more sensitive to touch, and as much as Loki enjoyed being man-handled in a male form, he much preferred a softer touch as a woman. ...Which was something Tony either sensed because of the soul bond or knew from experience, because Loki just _could not _fathom how his calloused hands felt so warm and soft against her skin.

"So, uh, do you have a different name you would rather be called or what?" Tony asked thoughtfully and twisted his fingers into Loki's slightly longer inky black curls that were still damp from the shower they'd taken together.

"I am still myself. I can only change into forms that suit me. ...Things that I _am._" She replied in a breathy whisper that definitely had a feminine quality to it, yet it was still distinctly Loki's voice. Tony wasn't quite sure he understood all that, but as long as Loki was comfortable with it, he didn't really care.

"All right then, Lokes. Just relax and let me show you how a goddess should be worshiped." Tony said and grinned as he placed a chaste kiss against her forehead and cupped her cheeks in his hands.

Loki's breath hitched slightly and she melted against Tony as his lips met hers while his hands wandered across her skin and caressed her shoulders. She whimpered slightly when Tony trailed hot kisses along her collar bone and cupped her breasts in his hands with great care. She tensed though, as an unwelcome thought occurred to her when she felt Tony's hard cock pressed against her thigh.

"Anthony, it is possible for me to bear children in this form." Loki said in annoyance. "Normally I would use magic to prevent that, but from what I read in Taure's study about soul bonds – it will not work."

"Well, that's what condoms are for. ...Mostly." Tony said nonchalantly. Loki watched him curiously as Tony dug through the drawer in the bed stand and took out a small box with small silvery packages inside.

"Mortals are surprisingly ingenious when it comes to intercourse." Loki observed as Tony slipped the thin latex tube over his cock.

"I can't believe you actually said that." The engineer said, raising his eyebrows and resumed his ministrations. Loki buried her fingers in Tony's hair as he sucked at one of her nipples and traced a pattern across the sensitive skin of her stomach his free hand. She sighed and arched herself into the touch.

"You have seriously got the best tits I've ever seen." Tony said seriously and rubbed the pad of his thumb across the nipple he'd been sucking. Loki closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around him as she started to feel the heat of arousal. That felt different in a female form, too. More intense, like an all-consuming fire that set her entire body alight with need.

Loki mewled like a cat in heat when Tony's fingers explored a little further south and brushed over a spot that made her feel like she'd been hit by some kind of lightening. _Perhaps I should have tried more things in a female form..._ Loki thought as Tony brushed his finger across that spot again, earning him a soft cry of pleasure and some rather undignified squirming. _I never... felt that before. _She mused.

Truly, most of her sexual experimentation in a female form involved straight up sex with her in a dominant position and very little foreplay of any kind. Loki absolutely _refused_ to let the man take control due to a not entirely subconscious fear of being raped. ...Never mind that Loki despised being seen as weak.

Letting Tony take the reigns in this was the highest display of trust, much like Tony allowing Loki to help build the Valkyrie.

"Ah! That is..." Loki mumbled incoherently and twisted her fingers into the silk sheets below her as Tony very gently slipped a finger inside of her, kissing her stomach just below her belly button as he did. Loki panted as he removed the finger and replaced it with his mouth. He licked her slowly, and dipped the tip of his tongue inside of her, before lightly sucking at that spot that made her convulse in pleasure. She made an awkward squeaking noise when he sucked a little harder and rubbed her thighs soothingly.

"Huh, you know, you taste exactly the same like this." Tony observed as he straddled her hips and placed another kiss against her lips. Loki didn't reply, it was taking most of her concentration to remember how to breathe as Tony positioned himself at her entrance.

"You seem to be liking this so far, you're dripping wet down there." Tony said, and Loki felt her face flush with shame at the exact moment that she sensed that how much it aroused Tony that her body was behaving like some kind of cock hungry common whore.

"You are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen – no matter what form you're in. Don't think about yourself like that. Who cares if you've being a whore? You're _my _whore, and it's _my_ dirty little secret." Tony told her and pulled her close. Loki immediately relaxed into the embrace and fought the stinging in her eyes that was incredibly short lived as Tony pushed forward and slowly slid inside of her. She moaned and spread her legs wider as he filled her to the hilt and stayed still to let her adjust to the feeling of him within her.

"Anthony..." Loki mumbled as he began to move. Honestly, she was a little surprised anything came out of her mouth other than a garbled cry of abandon, because all sense of thought had vanished. Loki dug her nails into Tony's back as he sped up his pace, constantly hitting a place inside of her that felt not entirely unlike finding that perfect angle in a male form. She threw her head back and moaned as Tony went even faster in steady, even strokes.

"Mmm. Need..." Loki breathed, squirming and thrusting her hips to meet Tony's movement.

"What do you need, love?" Tony asked, pulling her close and holding her against him as he moved.

"_Faster. Harder. Deeper." _Loki told him silently, not able to actually form the words amidst the mindless whimpering and moaning that seemed to be coming from her mouth. Not that she could really tell anymore.

"You got it." Tony told her and gave her everything he had. He wouldn't last long like this, but it was worth for the way Loki's eye's rolled back in her head and she positively _howled _in bliss. He didn't even feel the fingernails digging into his back anymore.

Loki gasped and panted as she felt a familiar tightening of the muscles in her lower stomach. She tensed and clung to Tony, sure the edge was approaching but it just wasn't _enough. _

"You've got to... Ahhh. Got to relax." Tony said, trying to hold out and keep up his pace.

He felt Loki try to let go as he positively pounded her into the mattress. He was sure Pepper could hear this downstairs, but he totally didn't give half a shit.

"_Relax your whole body, let me in as deep as you can. ...Trust me." _Tony told her, knowing there was no way he could form the words as he grunted with the exertion of keeping his thrusts in a steady pattern. _"Breathe, Lokes."_

Loki took a deep breath and forced the tenseness out of her body. _Trust him. _

"Come for me, Loki." Tony said in hoarse whisper. "You can do it."

"A-Anthony!" Loki shouted as something in her just positively _snapped _like shattering glass_. _For what seemed like an age, she felt like she was floating in nothingness as a delicious tingling spread through her entire body – until she finally tensed involuntarily and arched up into Tony whimpering and gasping for breath. At the moment that Loki's muscles tensed around him, Tony hit the edge. Hard. The sound he made as he came at the exact same moment as Loki was outright bestial.

Loki was a shaking, panting, sobbing mess as she clung to Tony in a hopeless attempt to find something solid to cling to. He carefully pulled out, and dragged her against him with her face tucked under his chin.

"I didn't break you did I?" He asked with a chuckle.

"I... C-can't..." Loki stuttered and snuggled as close to him as she physically could. She took several deep, steadying breaths and finally composed herself somewhat. "Definitely broken. In a good way." She managed to say and Tony just laughed affectionately. If this wasn't an ego trip, he didn't know what was.

"_To answer your question, the act of intercourse feels better as a man, but the moment of release as a woman is... mind blowing." _Loki told him silently, wanting to say it, but knowing she wasn't physically capable. Tony wiped a tear from her cheek. She sighed contentedly and melted against him, thinking to herself that she couldn't wait to do this again.


End file.
